THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 

GIFT  OF 


HORTEN3B. 


of  t)istor^ 


Hortense 


BY  JOHN  S.  C.  ABBOTT 


WITH    ENGRAVINGS 


NEW  YORK  AND  LONDON 
HARPER    &    BROTHERS    PUBLISHERS 

I9O2 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1870,  oy 
HARPER    &    BROTHERS, 

tn  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  fbl  the 
Southern  District  of  New  York. 


Copyright,  1898,  by  LAURA  A.  BUCK. 


PREFACE. 


IT^HE  French  Revolution  was  perhaps  as  im- 
-*-  portant  an  event  as  has  occurred  in  the 
history  of  nations.  It  was  a  drama  in  three 
acts.  The  first  was  the  Eevolution  itself,  prop- 
erly so  called,  with  its  awful  scenes  of  terror 
and  of  blood — the  exasperated  millions  strug- 
gling against  the  accumulated  oppression  of 
ages. 

The  second  act  in  the  drama  was  the  over- 
throw of  the  Directory  by  Napoleon,  and  the 
introduction  of  the  Consulate  and  the  Empire; 
the  tremendous  struggle  against  the  combined 
dynasties  of  Europe;  the  demolition  of  the 
Empire,  and  the  renewed  crushing  of  the  peo- 
ple by  the  triumph  of  the  nobles  and  the  kings. 

Thru  came  the  third  act  in  the  drama — per- 


2217511 


nil  PREFACE. 

haps  the  last,  perhaps  not — in  which  the  French 
people  again  drove  out  the  Bourbons,  re-estal> 
lished  the  Eepublican  Empire,  with  its  princi- 
ple of  equal  rights  for  all,  and  placed  upon  the 
throne  the  heir  of  the  great  Emperor. 

No  man  can  understand  the  career  of  Napo- 
leon I.  without  being  acquainted  with  those 
scenes  of  anarchy  and  terror  which  preceded 
his  reign.  No  man  can  understand  the  career 
of  Napoleon  III.  unless  familiar  with  the  strug- 
gle of  the  people  against  the  despots  in  the 
Revolution,  their  triumph  in  the  Empire,  their 
defeat  in  its  overthrow,  and  their  renewed  tri- 
umph in  its  restoration. 

Hortense  was  intimately  associated  with  all 
these  scenes.  Her  father  fell  beneath  the  slide 
of  the  guillotine ;  her  mother  was  imprisoned 
and  doomed  to  die;  and  she  and  her  broth- 
er were  turned  penniless  into  the  streets.  By 
the  marriage  of  her  mother  with  Napoleon,  she 
became  the  daughter  of  the  Emperor,  and  one 
of  the  most  brilliant  and  illustrious  ladies  of 
the  imperial  court.  The  triumph  of  the  Allies 
sent  her  into  exile,  where  her  influence  and 


PREFACE.  ix 

her  instruction  prepared  her  son  to  contribute 
powerfully  to  the  restoration  of  the  Empire, 
and  to  reign  with  ability  which  is  admired  by 
his  friends  and  acknowledged  by  his  foes. 
The  mother  of  Napoleon  III.  never  allowed 
her  royally-endowed  son  to  forget,  even  in  the 
gloomiest  days  of  exile  and  of  sorrow,  that  it 
might  yet  be  his  privilege  to  re-establish  the 
Republican  Empire,  and  to  restore  the  dynasty 
of  the  people  from  its  overthrow  by  the  des- 
potic Allies. 

In  this  brief  record  of  the  life  of  one  wno 
experienced  far  more  than  the  usual  vicissi- 
tudes of  humanity,  whose  career  was  one  of 
the  saddest  upon  record,  and  who  ever  exhib- 
ited virtues  which  won  the  enthusiastic  love  of 
all  who  knew  her,  the  writer  has  admitted 
nothing  which  can  not  be  sustained  by  incon- 
trovertible evidence,  and  has  suppressed  noth- 
ing sustained  by  any  testimony  worthy  of  a 
moment's  respect.  This  history  will  show  that 
Hortense  had  her  faults.  Who  is  without 
them?  There  are  not  many,  however,  who 
will  read  these  pages  without  profound  admi- 


x  PREFACE. 

ration  for  the  character  of  one  of  the  noblest 
of  women,  and  without  finding  the  eye  often 
dimmed,  in  view  of  her  heart-rending  griefs. 

This  volume  will  soon  be  followed  by  the 
History  of  Louis  Philippe. 


CONTENTS. 


IHAPTEK  PAGB 

I.    PARENTAGE    AND   BIRTH 15 

II.    MARRIAGE    OF    JOSEPHINE    AND    GENERAL    BONA- 
PARTE    49 

III.  HORTENSE    AND    DUROC 80 

IV.  THE    MARRIAGE    OF    HORTENSE 110 

V.    THE  BIRTH  OF  LOUIS  NAPOLEON  AND  THE  DIVORCE 

OF    JOSEPHINE  14£ 

VI.    THE    DEATH    OF    JOSEPHINE 179 

VII.    THE    SORROWS    OF    EXILE 211 

VIII.    PEACEFUL    DAYS,  YET    SAD 239 

IX.  LIFE    AT   ARENEMBERG 293 

X.  LETTER    FROM    LOUIS    NAPOLEON    TO    HIS    MOTHER  322 
XI.     DEATH     OF    HORTENSE,   AND    THE    ENTHRONEMENT 

OF    HER   SON 353 


ENGRAVINGS. 


FAQ) 

HORTENSE Frontispiece. 

JOSEPHINE   TAKING   LEAVE    OF    HER    CHILDREN 38 

THE   RECONCILIATION 76 

THE    LOVE-LETTER 104 

THE   LITTLE   PRINCE   NAPOLEON 129 

THE    DIVORCE   ANNOUNCED 165 

THE   DEATH   OF   MADAME   BROC 194 

HORTENSE  AND   HER   CHILDREN 218 

HORTENSE   AT  ARENEMBERG , 248 

"INTERVIEW   IN   THE    COLISEUM 271 

THE    STUDY    OF    LOUIS    NAPOLEON 307 

TIIK    ARREST 336 


HORTENSE. 


CHAPTER  I. 
PARENTAGE  AND  BIRTH. 

Josephine's  voyage  to  France. 

IN  the  year  1776  a  very  beautiful  young  lady, 
by  the  name  of  Josephine  Hose  Tascher, 
was  crossing  the  Atlantic  Ocean  from  the  island 
of  Martinique  to  France.  She  was  but  fifteen 
years  of  age;  and,  having  been  left  an  orphan 
in  infancy,  had  been  tenderly  reared  by  an  un- 
cle and  aunt,  who  were  wealthy,  being  propri- 
etors of  one  of  the  finest  plantations  upon  the 
island.  Josephine  was  accompanied  upon  the 
voyage  by  her  uncle.  She  was  the  betrothed 
of  a  young  French  nobleman  by  the  name  of 
Viscount  Alexander  de  Beauharnais,  who  had 
recently  visited  Martinique,  and  who  owned 
several  large  estates  adjoining  the  property 
which  Josephine  would  probably  inherit. 

It  was  with  great  reluctance  that  Josephine 
yielded  to  the  importunities  of  her  friends  and 


16  HORTENSE.  [1776. 

Viscount  de  Beauharnais. 

accepted  the  proffered  hand  of  the  viscount. 
Her  affections  had  long  been  fixed  upon  a  play- 
mate of  her  childhood  by  the  name  of  William, 
and  her  love  was  passionately  returned.  Wil- 
liam was  then  absent  in  France,  pursuing  his 
education.  De  Beauharnais  was  what  would 
usually  be  called  a  very  splendid  man.  He 
was  of  high  rank,  young,  rich,  intelligent,  and 
fascinating  in  his  manners.  The  marriage  of 
Josephine  with  the  viscount  would  unite  the 
properties.  Her  friends,  in  their  desire  to  ac- 
complish the  union,  cruelly  deceived  Josephine. 
They  intercepted  the  letters  of  William,  and 
withheld  her  letters  to  him,  and  represented  to 
her  that  William,  amidst  the  gayeties  of  Paris, 
had  proved  a  false  lover,  and  had  entirely  for- 
gotten her.  De  Beauharnais,  attracted  by  the 
grace  and  beauty  of  Josephine,  had  ardently 
offered  her  his  hand.  Under  these  circum- 
stances the  inexperienced  maiden  had  consent- 
ed to  the  union,  and  was  now  crossing  the  At- 
lantic with  her  uncle  for  the  consummation  of 
the  nuptials  in  France. 

Upon  her  arrival  she  was  conducted  to  Fon- 
tainebleau,  where  De  Beauharnais  hastened  to 
meet  her.  Proud  of  her  attractions,  he  took 
great  pleasure  in  introducing  her  to  his  high- 


1776.]    PARENTAGE  AND  BIRTH.         17 


Josephine's  reluctance. 


born  friends,  and  lavished  upon  her  every  at- 
tention. Josephine  was  grateful,  but  sad,  for 
her  heart  still  yearned  for  William.  Soon  Wil- 
liam, hearing  of  her  arrival,  and  not  knowing 
of  her  engagement,  anxiously  repaired  to  Fon- 
tainebleau.  The  interview  was  agonizing.  Wil- 
liam still  loved  her  with  the  utmost  devotion. 
They  both  found  that  they  had  been  the  vie* 
tirns  of  a  conspiracy,  though  one  of  which  De 
Beauharnais  had  no  knowledge. 

Josephine,  young,  inexperienced,  far  from 
home,  and  surrounded  by  the  wealthy  and  pow- 
erful friends  of  her  betrothed,  had  gone  too  far 
in  the  arrangements  for  the  marriage  to  recede. 
Her  anguish,  however,  was  so  great  that  she 
was  thrown  into  a  violent  fever.  She  had  no 
friend  to  whom  she  could  confide  her  emotions. 
But  in  most  affecting  tones  she  entreated  that 
her  marriage  might  be  delayed  for  a  few  months 
until  she  should  regain  her  health.  Her  friends 
consented,  and  she  took  refuge  for  a  time  in 
the  Convent  of  Panthemont,  under  the  tender 
care  of  the  sisters. 

It  is  not  probable  that  De  Beauharnais  was 
at  all  aware  of  the  real  state  of  Josephine's  feel- 
ings. He  was  proud  of  her,  and  loved  her  as 
truly  as  a  fashionable  man  of  the  world  could 
3-2 


18  HORTENSE.  [1781. 

Marriage.  Birth  of  Eugene 

love.  It  is  also  to  be  remembered  that  at  that 
time  in  France  it  was  not  customary  for  young 
ladies  to  have  much  influence  in  the  choice  of 
their  husbands.  It  was,  supposed  that  their 
parents  could  much  more  judiciously  arrange 
these  matters  than  the  young  ladies  themselves. 

Josephine  was  sixteen  years  of  age  at  the 
time  of  her  marriage.  Her  attractions  were  so 
remarkable  that  sh&  immediately  became  a 
great  favorite  at  the  French  court,  to  which  the 
rank  of  her  husband  introduced  her.  Marie 
Antoinette  was  then  the  youthful  bride  of 
Louis  XVI.  She  was  charmed  with  Josephine, 
and  lavished  upon  her  the  most  flattering  at- 
tentions. Two  children  were  born  of  this  mar- 
riage, both  of  whom  attained  world-wide  re- 
nown. The  first  was  a  son,  Eugene.  He  was 
born  in  September,  1781.  His  career  was  very 
elevated,  and  he  occupied  with  distinguished 
honor  all  the  lofty  positions  to  which  he  was 
raised.  He  became  duke  of  Leuchtenberg, 
prince  of  Eichstedt,  viceroy  of  Italy.  He  mar- 
ried the  Princess  Augusta,  daughter  of  the  King 
of  Bavaria. 

"  Prince  Eugene,  under  a  simple  exterior, 
concealed  a  noble  character  and  great  talents: 
Honor,  integrity,  humanity,  and  love  of  order 


1783.J    PARENTAGE  AND  BIRTH.         19 


Birth  of  Hortense. 


and  justice  were  the  principal  traits  of  his  char- 
acter. Wise  in  the  council,  undaunted  in  the 
field,  and  moderate  in  the  exercise  of  power, 
he  never  appeared  greater  than  in  the  midst 
of  reverses,  as  the  events  of  1813  and  1814 
prove.  He  was  inaccessible  to  the  spirit  of 
party,  benevolent  and  beneficent,  and  more  de- 
voted  to  the  good  of  others  than  his  own."* 

The  second  child  was  a  daughter,  Hortense, 
the  subject  of  this  brief  memoir.  She  was  born 
on  the  10th  of  January,  1783.  In  the  opening 
scenes  of  that  most  sublime  of  earthly  trage- 
dies, the  French  Kevolution,  M.  de  Beauhar- 
nais  espoused  the  popular  cause,  though  of  no- 
ble blood,  and  though  his  elder  brother,  the 
Marquis  de  Beauharnais,  earnestly  advocated 
<;he  cause  of  the  king  and  the  court. 

The  entire  renunciation  of  the  Christian  re- 
ligion was  then  popular  in  France.  Alexander 
Je  Beauharnais,  like  most  of  his  young  pleasure- 
loving  companions,  was  an  infidel.  His  con- 
duct soon  became  such  that  the  heart  of  poor 
Josephine  was  quite  broken.  Her  two  children, 
Eugene  and  Hortense,  both  inherited  the  affec- 
tionate and  gentle  traits  of  their  mother,  and 
were  her  only  solace.  In  her  anguish  she  un- 

*  Encyclopaedia  Americana, 


20  EORTENSE.  [1783. 

Separation  from  Beauharnais. 

guardedly  wrote  to  her  friends  in  Martinique, 
who  had  almost  forced  her  into  her  connection 
with  Beauharnais: 

"Were  it  not  for  my  children,  I  should, 
without  a  pang,  renounce  France  forever. 
My  duty  requires  rne  to  forget  William.  And 
yet,  if  we  had  been  united  together,  I  should 
not  to-day  have  been  troubling  you  with  my 
griefs." 

Viscount  Beauharnais  chanced  to  see  this  let- 
ter. It  roused  his  jealousy  fearfully.  A  sense 
of  "honor"  would  allow  him  to  lavish  his  at- 
tentions upon  guilty  favorites,  while  that  same 
sense  of  "honor"  would  urge  him  to  wreak 
vengeance  upon  his  unhappy,  injured  wife,  be- 
cause, in  her  neglect  and  anguish,  with  no  false, 
but  only  a  true  affection,  her  memory  turned 
to  the  loved  companion  of  her  childhood.  Ac- 
cording to  the  standard  of  the  fashionable  world, 
Beauharnais  was  a  very  honorable  man.  Ac- 
cording to  the  standard  of  Christianity,  he  was 
a  sinner  in  the  sight  of  God,  and  was  to  answer 
for  this  conduct  at  the  final  judgment 

He  reproached  his  wife  in  the  severest  Ian* 
guage  of  denunciation.  He  took  from  her  her 
son  Eugene.  He  applied  to  the  courts  for  a 
divorce,  demanding  his  daughter  Hortense  also. 


1786.]    PARENTAGE  AND  BIRTH.          21 


Return  to  Martinique. 


Josephine  pleaded  with  him  in  vain,  for  the  sake 
of  their  children,  not  to  proclaim  their  disagree- 
ment to  the  world.  Grief-stricken,  poor  Jose- 
phine retired  to  a  convent  to  await  the  trial. 
The  verdict  was  triumphantly  in  her  favor. 
But  her  heart  was  broken.  She  was  separated 
from  her  husband,  though  the  legal  tie  was  not 
severed. 

Her  friends  in  Martinique,  informed  of  these 
events,  wrote,  urging  her  to  return  to  them. 
She  decided  to  accept  the  invitation.  Hortense 
was  with  her  mother.  M.  de  Beauharnais  had 
sent  Eugene,  whom  he  had  taken  from  her,  to 
a  boarding-school.  Before  sailing  for  Marti- 
nique she  obtained  an  interview  with  M.  de 
Beauharnais,  and  with  tears  entreated  that  she 
might  take  Eugene  with  her  also.  He  was  un- 
relenting ;  Josephine,  with  a  crushed  and  world- 
weary  heart,  folded  Hortense  to  her  bosom,  then 
an  infant  but  three  years  of  age,  and  returned 
to  her  tropical  home,  which  she  had  sadly  left 
but  a  few  years  before.  Here,  on  the  retired 
plantation,  soothed  by  the  sympathy  ot  her 
friends,  she  strove  to  conceal  her  anguish. 

There  was  never  a  more  loving  heart  than 
that  with  which  Josephine  was  endowed.  She 
clung  to  Hortense  with  tenderness  which  has 


22  HORTENSE.  [1789. 

Revisits  France. 

rarely  been  equalled.  They  were  always  to- 
gether. During  the  day  Hortense  was  ever  by 
her  side,  and  at  night  she  nestled  in  her  moth- 
er's bosom.  Living  amidst  the  scenes  of  trop- 
ical luxuriance  and  beauty,  endeared  to  her  by 
the  memories  of  childhood,  Josephine  could  al- 
most have  been  happy  but  for  the  thoughts  of 
her  absent  Eugene.  Grief  for  her  lost  child 
preyed  ever  upon  her  heart. 

Her  alienated  husband,  relieved  from  all  re- 
straint, plunged  anew  into  those  scenes  of  fash- 
ionable dissipation  for  which  Paris  was  then 
renowned.  But  sickness,  sorrows,  and  misfor- 
tunes came.  In  those  dark  hours  he  found 
that  no  earthly  friend  can  supply  the  place  of 
a  virtuous  and  loving  wife.  He  wrote  to  her. 
expressing  bitter  regret  for  his  conduct,  and  im- 
ploring her  to  return.  The  wounds  which  Jo- 
sephine had  received  were  too  deep  to  be  easi- 
ly healed.  Forgiving  as  she  was  by  nature, 
she  said  to  her  friends  that  the  memory  of  the 
past  was  so  painful  that,  were  it  not  for  Eugene, 
she  should  very  much  prefer  not  to  return  to 
France  again,  but  to  spend  the  remainder  of 
her  days  in  the  seclusion  of  her  native  island. 
Her  friends  did  every  thing  in  their  power  to 
dissuade  her  from  returning.  But  a  mother's 


1789.]    PARENTAGE  AND  BIRTH.         23 


The  jewel  caskets. 


love  for  her  son  triumphed,  and  with  Hortense 
she  took  ship  for  France. 

An  event  occurred  upon  this  voyage  which 
is  as  instructive  as  it  is  interesting.  Many 
years  afterwards,  when  Josephine  was  Empress 
of  France,  and  the  wealth  of  the  world  was  al- 
most literally  at  her  feet,  on  one  occasion  some 
young  ladies  who  were  visiting  the  court  re- 
quested Josephine  to  show  them  her  diamonds. 
These  jewels  were  almost  of  priceless  value, 
and  were  kept  in  a  vault,  the  keys  of  which 
were  confided  to  the  most  trusty  persons.  Jo- 
sephine, who  seldom  wore  jewels,  very  amiably 
complied  with  their  request.  A  large  table 
was  brought  into  the  saloon.  Her  maids  in 
waiting  brought  in  a  great  number  of  caskets, 
of  every  size  and  form,  containing  the  precious 
gems. 

As  these  caskets  were  opened,  they  were 
dazzled  with  the  brilliancy,  the  size,  and  the 
number  of  these  ornaments.  The  different  sets 
composed  probably  by  far  the  most  brilliant 
collection  in  Europe.  In  Napoleon's  conquer- 
ing career,  the  cities  which  he  had  entered  lav- 
ished their  gifts  upon  Josephine.  The  most 
remarkable  of  these  jewels  consisted  of  large 
white  diamonds.  There  were  others  in  the 


24  HORTENSE.  [1789. 


The  jewel  caskets. 


shape  of  pears  formed  of  pearls  of  the  richest 
colors.  There  were  opals,  rubies,  sapphires, 
and  emeralds  of  such  marvellous  value  that 
the  large  diamonds  that  encircled  them  were 
considered  as  mere  mountings  not  regarded 
in  the  estimation  made  of  the  value  of  the  jew- 
els. 

As  the  ladies  gazed  upon  the  splendor  of 
this  collection,  they  were  lost  in  wonder  and 
admiration.  Josephine,  after  enjoying  for  a 
while  their  expressions  of  delight,  and  having 
allowed  them  to  examine  the  beautiful  gems 
thoroughly,  said  to  them  kindly : 

"  I  had  no  other  motive,  in  ordering  my  jew- 
els  to  be  opened  before  you,  than  to  spoil  your 
fancy  for  such  ornaments.  After  having  seen 
such  splendid  sets,  you  can  never  feel  a  wish 
for  inferior  ones ;  the  less  so  when  you  reflect 
how  unhappy  I  have  been,  although  with  so 
rare  a  collection  at  my  command.  During  the 
first  dawn  of  my  extraordinary  elevation,  I  de- 
lighted in  these  trifles,  many  of  which  were 
presented  to  me  in  Italy.  I  grew  by  degrees 
so  tired  of  them  that  I  no  longer  wear  any,  ex- 
cept when  I  am  in  some  respects  compelled  to 
do  so  by  my  new  rank  in  the  world.  A  thou- 
sand accidents  may,  besides,  contribute  to  de« 


1789.]    PARENTAGE  AND  BIRTH.         25 


The  old  pair  of  shoes. 


prive  me  of  these  brilliant,  though  useless  ob- 
jects. Do  I  not  possess  the  pendants  of  Queen 
Marie  Antoinette?  And  yet  am  I  quite  sure 
of  retaining  them  ?  Trust  to  me,  ladies,  and 
do  not  envy  a  splendor  which  does  not  consti- 
tute happiness.  I  shall  not  fail  to  surprise  you 
when  I  relate  that  I  once  felt  more  pleasure  at 
receiving  an  old  pair  of  shoes  than  at  being 
presented  with  all  the  diamonds  which  are  now 
spread  before  you." 

The  young  ladies  could  not  help  smiling  at 
this  observation,  persuaded  as  they  were  that 
Josephine  was  not  in  earnest.  But  she  repeat- 
ed her  assertions  in  so  serious  a  manner  that 
they  felt  the  utmost  curiosity  to  hear  the  story 
of  this  wonderful  pair  of  shoes. 

"I  repeat  it,  ladies,"  said  her  majesty,  "it  is 
strictly  true,  that  the  present  which,  of  all  oth- 
ers, has  afforded  me  most  pleasure  was  a  pair 
of  old  shoes  of  the  coarsest  leather;  and  you 
will  readily  believe  it  when  you  have  heard 
my  story. 

"  I  had  set  sail  from  Martinique,  with  Hor- 
tense,  on  board  a  ship  in  which  we  received 
such  marked  attentions  that  they  are  indelibly 
impressed  on  my  memory.  Being  separated 
from  my  first  husband,  my  pecuniary  resources 


26  HORTENSE.  [1789. 

The  old  pair  of  ghoea. 

were  not  very  flourishing.  The  expense  of 
my  return  to  France,  which  the  state  of  my  af- 
fairs rendered  necessary,  had  nearly  drained 
me  of  every  thing,  and  I  found  great  difficulty 
in  making  the  purchases  which  were  indispen- 
sably requisite  for  the  voyage.  Hortense,  who 
was  a  smart,  lively  child,  sang  negro  songs,  and 
performed  negro  dances  with  admirable  accu- 
racy. She  was  the  delight  of  the  sailors,  and, 
in  return  for  their  fondness,  she  made  them  her 
favorite  company.  I  no  sooner  fell  asleep  than 
she  slipped  upon  deck  and  rehearsed  her  vari- 
ous little  exercises,  to  the  renewed  delight  and 
admiration  of  all  on  board. 

"  An  old  mate  was  particularly  fond  of  her, 
and  whenever  he  found  a  moment's  leisure  from 
his  daily  occupations,  he  devoted  it  to  his  little 
friend,  who  was  also  exceedingly  attached  to 
him.  My  daughter's  shoes  were  soon  worn 
out  with  her  constant  dancing  and  skipping. 
Knowing  as  she  did  that  I  had  no  other  pair 
for  her,  and  fearing  lest  I  should  prevent  her 
going  upon  deck  if  I  should  discover  the  plight 
of  those  she  was  fast  wearing  away,  she  con- 
cealed the  trifling  accident  from  my  knowledge. 
I  saw  her  once  returning  with  bleeding  feet, 
and  asked  her,  in  the  utmost  alarm,  if  she  had 


1789.]    PARENTAGE  AND  BIRTH.         27 


The  old  pair  of  shoes. 


hurt  herself;  'No,  mamma.'  'But  your  feet 
are  bleeding.'  '  It  really  is  nothing.'  I  insist- 
ed upon  ascertaining  what  ailed  her,  and  found 
that  her  shoes  were  all  in  tatters,  and  her  flesh 
dreadfully  torn  by  a  nail. 

"We  had  as  yet  only  performed  half  the 
voyage;  a  long  time  would  necessarily  elapse 
before  I  could  procure  a  fresh  pair  of  shoes;  I 
was  mortified  at  the  bare  anticipation  of  the 
distress  my  poor  Hortense  would  feel  at  being 
compelled  to  remain  confined  in  my  wretched 
little  cabin,  and  of  the  injury  her  health  might 
experience  from  the  want  of  exercise.  At  the 
moment  when  I  was  wrapped  up  in  sorrow,  and 
giving  free  vent  to  my  tears,  our  friend  the 
mate  made  his  appearance,  and  inquired,  with 
his  honest  bluntness,  the  cause  of  our  whimper- 
ings.  Hortense  replied,  in  a  sobbing  voice,  that 
she  could  no  longer  go  upon  deck  because  she 
had  torn  her  shoes,  and  I  had  no  others  to  give 
her. 

"'Is  that  all?'  said  the  sailor.  'I  have  an 
old  pair  in  my  trunk ;  let  me  go  for  them. 
You,  madame,  will  cut  them  up,  and  I  shall 
sew  them  over  again  to  the  best  of  my  power ; 
every  thing  on  board  ship  shall  be  turned  to 
account ;  this  is  not  the  place  for  being  too  nice 


28  HORTENSE.  [1789. 

Commencement  of  the  Reign  of  Terror. 

or  particular;  we  have  our  most  important 
wants  gratified  when  we  have  the  needful.' 

"  He  did  not  wait  for  our  reply,  but  went  in 
quest  of  his  old  shoes,  which  he  brought  to  us 
•with  an  air  of  exultation,  and  offered  them  to 
Hortense,  who  received  the  gift  with  every  dem- 
onstration of  delight. 

"  We  set  to  work  with  the  greatest  alacrity, 
and  my  daughter  was  enabled,  towards  the  close 
of  the  day,  to  enjoy  the  pleasure  of  again  amus- 
ing the  ship's  company.  I  repeat  it,  that  no 
present  was  ever  received  by  me  with  more 
sincere  gratitude.  I  greatly  reproach  myself 
for  having  neglected  to  make  inquiries  after 
the  worthy  seaman,  who  was  only  known  on 
board  by  the  name  of  James.  I  should  have 
felt  a  sincere  satisfaction  in  rendering  him  some 
service,  since  it  was  afterwards  in  my  power 
to  do  so." 

Josephine  had  spent  three  years  in  Marti- 
nique. Consequently,  upon  her  return  to 
France,  Hortense  was  six  years  of  age.  Soon 
after  her  arrival  the  Eeign  of  Terror  com- 
menced. The  guillotine  was  erected,  and  its 
knife  was  busy  beheading  those  who  were  sus- 
pected of  not  being  in  full  sympathy  with  the 
reformers  whom  revolution  had  brought  into 


1783.]    PARENTAGE  AND  BIRTH.         29 


Arrest  of  Beauh&rnais. 


power.  Though  Yiscount  Beauharnais  had 
earnestly  espoused  the  popular  cause ;  though 
he  had  been  president  of  the  National  Assem- 
bly, and  afterwards  general  of  the  Army  of  the 
Rhine,  still  he  was  of  noble  birth,  and  his  older 
brother  was  an  aristocrat,  and  an  emigrant. 
He  was  consequently  suspected,  and  arrested. 
Having  conducted  him  to  prison,  a  committee 
of  the  Convention  called  at  the  residence  of 
Josephine  to  examine  the  children,  hoping  to 
extort  from  them  some  evidence  against  their 
father.  Josephine,  in  a  letter  to  her  aunt,  thus 
describes  this  singular  scene: 

"  You  would  hardly  believe,  dear  aunt,  that 
my  children  have  just  undergone  a  long  and, 
minute  examination.  That  wicked  old  man, 
the  member  of  the  committee  whom  I  have  al- 
ready mentioned  to  you,  called  upon  me,  and, 
affecting  to  feel  uneasy  in  regard  to  my  hus- 
band, and  to  converse  with  me  respecting  him, 
opened  a  conversation  with  my  children.  I 
acknowledge  that  I  at  first  fell  into  the  snare. 
What  surprised  me,  however,  was  the  sudden 
affability  of  the  man.  But  he  soon  betrayed 
himself  by  the  malignity  and  even  bitterness 
which  he  displayed  when  the  children  replied 
in  such  a  manner  as  to  give  him  no  advantage 


30  HORTENSE.  [1783. 

Domiciliary  visit. 

over  their  unhappy  parents.  I  soon  penetra- 
ted his  artful  intentions. 

"  When  he  found  me  on  my  guard,  he  threw 
off  the  mask,  and  admitted  that  he  was  desired 
to  procure  information  from  my  children,  which, 
he  said,  might  be  more  relied  on,  as  it  would 
bear  the  stamp  of  candor.  He  then  entered 
into  a  formal  examination.  At  that  moment 
I  felt  an  indescribable  emotion ;  and  the  con- 
flicting effects  of  fear,  anger,  and  indignation 
alternately  agitated  me.  I  was  even  upon  the 
point  of  openly  giving  vent  to  my  feelings 
against  the  hoary  revolutionist,  when  I  reflect- 
ed that  I  might,  by  so  doing,  materially  injure 
M.  de  Beauharnais,  against  whom  that  atro- 
cious villain  appeared  to  have  vowed  perpetual 
enmity.  I  accordingly  checked  my  angry  pas- 
sions. He  desired  me  to  leave  him  alone  with 
my  children ;  I  attempted  to  resist,  but  his  fe- 
rocious glance  compelled  me  to  give  way. 

"  He  confined  Hortense  in  the  closet,  and 
began  to  put  questions  to  her  brother.  My 
daughter's  turn  came  next.  As  for  this  child, 
in  whom  he  discovered  a  premature  quickness 
and  penetration  far  above  her  age,  he  kept 
questioning  her  for  a  great  length  of  time. 
After  having  sounded  them  respecting  our  com- 


1783.]    PARENTAGE  AND  BIRTH.         31 


Beauharnais  in  prison. 


mon  topics  of  conversation,  our  opinions,  the 
visits  and  letters  we  were  in  the  habit  of  receiv- 
ing, but  more  particularly  the  occurrences  they 
might  have  witnessed,  he  came  to  the  main 
point — I  mean,  to  the  expressions  used  by  Al- 
exander. My  children  gave  very  proper  re- 
plies ;  such,  in  fact,  as  were  suited  to  their  re- 
spective dispositions.  And  notwithstanding 
the  artfulness  of  a  mischievous  man  whose  ob- 
ject is  to  discover  guilt,  the  frankness  of  my 
son  and  the  quick  penetration  of  my  daughter 
disconcerted  his  low  cunning,  and  even  defeat- 
ed the  object  he  had  in  view." 

Viscount  Beauharnais,  when  arrested,  was 
conveyed  to  the  palace  of  the  Luxembourg, 
where  he  was  imprisoned  with  many  other  cap- 
tives. To  spare  the  feelings  of  the  children, 
the  fact  of  his  imprisonment  was  concealed  from 
them  by  Josephine,  and  they  were  given  to 
understand  that  their  father,  not  being  very 
well,  had  placed  himself  under  the  care  of  a 
celebrated  physician,  who  had  recommended 
him  to  take  up  his  residence  at  the  Luxem- 
bourg, where  there  was  much  vacant  space,  and 
consequently  purer  air.  The  imprisoned  father 
was  very  anxious  to  see  his  wife  and  children. 
The  authorities  consented,  allowing  the  chil- 


32  HORTENSE.  [1783. 

Affecting  Interview. 

dren  to  go  in  first  under  the  care  of  an  attend- 
ant, and  afterwards  their  mother. 

Hortense,  child  as  she  was,  was  bewildered 
by  the  scene,  and  her  suspicions  were  evident- 
ly excited.  As  she  came  out,  she  said  to  her 
mother,  "I  think  papa's  apartments  are  very 
email,  and  the  patients  are  very  numerous." 

After  the  children  had  left,  Josephine  was  in- 
troduced. She  knew  that  her  husband's  life  was 
in  imminent  peril.  His  penitence  and  grate- 
ful love  had  produced  entire  reconciliation,  and 
had  won  back  Josephine's  heart.  She  was  not 
willing  that  the  children  should  witness  the 
tender  and  affecting  interview  which,  under 
such  circumstances,  must  take  place. 

Beauharnais  had  but  little  hope  that  he 
should  escape  the  guillotine.  As  Josephine, 
bathed  in  tears,  rushed  into  his  arms,  all  his 
fortitude  forsook  him.  His  emotion  was  so 
great  that  his  wife,  struggling  against  her  own 
anguish,  used  her  utmost  endeavors  to  calm 
and  console  him. 

In  the  midst  of  this  heart-rending  scene,  to 
their  consternation,  the  children,  by  some  mis- 
understanding, were  again  led  into  the  apart- 
ment. The  father  and  mother  struggled  to 
disguise  from  them  the  cause  of  that  emotion 


1783.]    PARENTAGE  AND  BIRTH.         33 


Affecting  interview. 


which  they  could  not  conceal.  For  a  time  the 
children  were  silent  and  bewildered ;  then  Hor- 
tense,  though  with  evident  misgivings,  attempt- 
ed to  console  her  parents.  The  events  of  her 
saddened  life  had  rendered  her  unusually  pre- 
cocious. Turning  to  her  mother,  she  begged 
her  not  to  give  way  to  so  much  sorrow,  assur- 
ing her  that  she  could  not  think  that  her  father 
was  dangerously  ill.  Then  addressing  Eugene, 
she  said,  in  a  peculiar  tone  which  her  parents 
felt  as  a  reproach, 

"  I  do  not  think,  brother,  that  papa  is  very 
y-ick.  At  any  rate5  it  is  not  such  a  sickness  as 
doctors  can  cure."  Josephine  felt  the  reproach, 
?nd  conscious  that  it  was  in  some  degree  de- 
served, said : 

"  What  do  you  mean,  rny  child  ?  Do  you 
think  your  father  and  I  have  combined  to  de- 
ceive you?" 

"  Pardon  me,  mamma,  but  I  do  think  so." 

"Oh,  sister,"  exclaimed  Eugene,  "how  can 
you  speak  so  strangely  ?" 

"  On  the  contrary,"  Hortense  replied,  "it  is 
very  plain  and  natural.  Surely  affectionate 
parents  may  be  allowed  to  deceive  their  chil- 
dren when  they  wish  to  spare  their  feelings." 

Josephine  was  seated  in  the  lap  of  her  hus- 

3—3 


34  HORTENSE.  [1783. 

Affecting  interview. 

band.  Hortense  sprang  into  her  mother's  arms, 
and  encircled  the  neck  of  both  father  and  moth- 
er in  a  loving  embrace.  Eugene  caught  the 
contagion,  and  by  his  tears  and  affecting  ca- 
resses added  to  this  domestic  scene  of  love  and 
woe. 

It  is  the  universal  testimony  that  Eugene 
and  Hortense  were  so  lovely  in  person  and  in 
character  that  they  instantly  won  the  affection 
of  all  who  saw  them.  The  father  was  conscious 
that  he  was  soon  to  die.  He  knew  that  all  his 
property  would  be  confiscated.  It  was  proba- 
ble that  Josephine  would  also  be  led  to  her  ex- 
ecution. The  guillotine  spared  neither  sex 
who  had  incurred  the  suspicions  of  enthroned 
democracy.  Both  parents  forgot  themselves, 
in  their  anxiety  for  their  children.  The  exe- 
cution of  Beauharnais  would  undoubtedly  lead 
to  the  arrest  and  execution  of  Josephine.  The 
property  of  the  condemned  was  invariably  con- 
fiscated. There  was  thus  danger  that  the  chil- 
dren would  be  turned  in  beggary  into  the 
streets.  It  is  difficult  to  conceive  the  anguish 
which  must  have  rent  the  hearts  of  affectionate 
parents  in  hours  of  woe  so  awful. 

The  prisons  were  crowded  with  victims. 
Brief  as  were  the  trials,  and  rapid  as  was  the 


1794.]    PARENTAGE  AND  BIRTH.         35 


Scene  in  prison. 


execution  of  the  guillotine,  there  was  some  con- 
siderable delay  before  Beauharnais  was  led  be- 
fore the  revolutionary  tribunal.  In  the  mean 
time  Josephine  made  several  calls,  with  her  chil- 
dren, upon  her  imprisoned  husband.  Little 
Hortense,  whose  suspicions  were  strongly  ex- 
cited, watched  every  word,  and  soon  became  so 
convinced  that  her  father  was  a  prisoner  that 
it  became  impossible  for  her  parents  any  long- 
er to  conceal  the  fact. 

"  What  has  papa  done,"  inquired  Hortense, 
"that  they  will  not  let  him  come  home?" 

"  He  has  done  nothing  wrong,"  said  Jose- 
phine, timidly,  for  she  knew  not  what  spies 
might  be  listening.  "He  is  only  accused  of 
being  unfriendly  to  the  Government." 

Holding  the  hand  of  Eugene,  Hortense  ex- 
claimed impetuously,  "Oh,  we  will  punish  your 
accusers  as  soon  as  we  are  strong  enough." 

"  Be  silent,  my  child,"  said  her  father  anx- 
iously. "  If  you  are  overheard  I  am  lost. 
Both  your  mother  and  I  may  be  made  to  suf- 
fer for  any  imprudent  remark  which  you  may 
make." 

"But,  papa,  have  you  not  often  told  us," 
said  Eugene,  "that  it  was  proper  to  resist  an 
act  of  oppression  ?" 


36  HORTENSE.  [1794. 

Trial  of  Beauharnaia. 

"  Yes,"  said  the  father  proudly,  though  con- 
scious that  his  words  might  be  reported  and 
misrepresented  to  his  merciless  judges.  "  And 
I  repeat  it.  Our  conduct,  however,  must  be 
guided  by  rules  of  prudence ;  and  whoever  at- 
tempts to  defeat  the  views  of  tyranny  must 
beware  of  awaking  it  from  its  slumbers." 

No  philosophy  has  yet  been  able  to  explain 
the  delicate  mechanism  of  the  human  soul ;  its 
fleeting  and  varying  emotions  of  joy  and  sad- 
ness, its  gleams  of  hope  and  shades  of  despair 
come  and  go,  controlled  by  influences  which 
entirely  elude  human  scrutiny.  In  these  days 
of  gloom,  rays  of  hope  occasionally  penetrated 
the  cell  of  Beauharnais. 

At  last  the  hour  of  dread  came.  Beauhar- 
nais was  led  before  the  terrible  tribunal.  He 
was  falsely  accused  of  having  promoted  the 
surrender  of  Mentz  to  the  Allies.  He  was 
doomed  to  death,  and  was  sent  to  the  Concierge- 
rie,  whence  he  was  to  be  conducted  to  his  exe- 
cution. This  was  in  July,  1794.  Beauharnais 
was  then  thirty-four  years  of  age. 

It  seems  that  the  conversation  which  we  have 
reported  as  having  taken  place  in  the  cell  of 
Beauharnais  had  been  overheard  by  listening 
ears,  and  reported  to  the  committee  as  a  con- 


JOSEPHINE    TAKING   LEAVE   OF    HER   CHILDREN. 


1794]  PARENTAGE  AND  BIRTH.         39 


Anguish  of  Josephine. 


spiracy  for  the  overthrow  of  the  Eepublic. 
The  arrest  of  Josephine  was  ordered.  A  warn- 
ing letter  from  some  friend  reached  her  a  few 
moments  before  the  officers  arrived,  urging  her 
to  fly.  It  was  an  early  hour  in  the  morning. 
There  was  little  sleep  for  Josephine  amidst 
those  scenes  of  terror,  and  she  was  watching 
by  the  side  of  her  slumbering  children.  What 
could  she  do?  Should  she  abandon  her  chil- 
dren, and  seek  to  save  her  own  life  by  flight  ? 
A  mother's  love  rendered  that  impossible. 
Should  she  take  them  with  her  in  her  flight? 
That  would  render  her  arrest  certain;  and  the 
fact  of  her  attempting  to  escape  would  be  urged 
as  evidence  of  her  guilt. 

While  distracted  with  these  thoughts,  the 
clatter  of  armed  men  was  heard  at  her  door. 
With  anguish  which  none  but  a  mother  can 
comprehend,  she  bent  over  her  children  and 
imprinted,  as  she  supposed,  a  last  kiss  upon 
their  cheeks.  The  affectionate  little  Hortense, 
though  asleep,  was  evidently  agitated  by  troub- 
led dreams.  As  she  felt  the  imprint  of  her 
mother's  lips,  she  threw  her  arms  around  her 
neck  and  exclaimed,  "Come  to  bed,  dear  mam- 
ma; they  shall  not  take  you  away  to-night.  I 
have  prayed  to  God  for  you." 

Josephine,  to   avoid   waking  the   children, 


40  HORTENSE.  [1794. 


Arrest  of  Josephine. 


stepped  softly  from  the  room,  closed  the  door, 
and  entered  her  parlor.  Here  she  was  rudely 
seized  by  the  soldiers,  who  regarded  her  as  a 
hated  aristocrat.  They  took  possession  of  the 
house  and  all  its  furniture  in  the  name  of  the 
Republic,  left  the  children  to  suffer  or  to  die 
as  fate  might  decide,  and  dragged  the  mother 
to  imprisonment  in  the  Convent  of  the  Carme- 
lites. 

When  the  children  awoke  in  the  morning, 
they  found  themselves  alone  and  friendless  in 
the  heart  of  Paris.  The  wonderful  events  of 
their  lives  thus  far  had  rendered  them  both 
unusually  precocious.  Eugene  in  particular 
seemed  to  be  endowed  with  all  the  thought- 
fulness  and  wisdom  of  a  full-grown  man.  Af- 
ter a  -few  moments  of  anguish  and  tears,  in 
view  of  their  dreadful  situation,  they  sat  down 
to  deliberate  upon  the  course  to  be  pursued. 
Hortense  suggested  that  they  should  repair  to 
the  Luxembourg  and  seek  the  protection  of 
their  father  in  his  imprisonment  there.  But 
Eugene,  apprehensive  that  such  a  step  might 
in  some  way  compromise  the  safety  of  their 
father,  recalled  to  rnind  that  they  had  a  great- 
aunt,  far  advanced  in  life,  who  was  residing  at 
Versailles  in  deep  retirement.  He  proposed 


1794.]    PARENTAGE  AND  BIRTH.         41 


Impulsiveness  of  Hortense. 


that  they  should  seek  refuge  with  her.  Find- 
ing a  former  domestic  of  the  family,  she  kind- 
ly led  them  to  their  aunt,  where  the  desolate 
children  were  tenderly  received. 

Beauharnais  was  now  in  the  Conciergerie, 
doomed  to  die,  and  awaiting  his  execution. 
Josephine  was  in  the  prison  of  the  Carmelites, 
expecting  hourly  to  be  led  to  the  tribunal  to 
receive  also  her  doom  of  death. 

Hortense,  an  affectionate  child,  ardent  and 
unreflecting  in  her  impatience  to  see  her  moth- 
er, one  morning  left  her  aunt's  house  at  Fon- 
tainebleau,  to  which  place  her  aunt  had  re- 
moved, and  in  a  rnarket-cart  travelled  thirty 
miles  to  Paris.  Here  the  energetic  child,  im- 
pelled by  grief  and  love,  succeeded  in  finding 
her  mother's  maid,  Victorine.  It  was  however 
impossible  for  them  to  obtain  access  to  the  pris- 
on, and  Hortense  the  next  day  returned  to 
Fontainebleau.  Josephine,  upon  being  inform- 
ed of  this  imprudent  act,  to  which  affection 
had  impelled  her  child,  wrote  to  her  the  fol- 
lowing letter : 

"  I  should  be  entirely  satisfied  with  the  good 
heart  of  my  Hortense,  were  I  not  displeased 
with  her  bad  head.  How  is  it,  my  daughter, 
that,  without  permission  from  your  aunt,  you 


42  HORTENSE.  [1794. 

Letter  from  Josephine. 

have  come  to  Paris  ?  '  But  it  was  to  see  me, 
you  will  say.'  You  ought  to  be  aware  that  no 
one  can  see  me  without  an  order,  to  obtain 
which  requires  both  means  and  precautions. 
And  besides,  you  got  upon  M.  Dorset's  cart, 
at  the  risk  of  incommoding  him,  and  retarding 
the  conveyance  of  his  merchandise.  In  all 
this  you  have  been  very  inconsiderate.  My 
child,  observe :  it  is  not  sufficient  to  do  good, 
you  must  also  do  good  properly.  At  your  age, 
the  first  of  all  virtues  is  confidence  and  docility 
towards  your  relations.  I  am  therefore  obliged 
to  tell  you  that  I  prefer  your  tranquil  attach- 
ment to  your  misplaced  warmth.  This,  how- 
ever, does  not  prevent  me  from  embracing  you, 
but  less  tenderly  than  I  shall  do  when  I  learn 
that  you  have  returned  to  your  aunt." 

On  the  evening  of  the  24th  of  July  M.  de 
Beauharnais  received  the  announcement  in  his 
cell,  that  with  the  dawn  of  the  next  morning 
he  was  to  be  led  to  the  guillotine.  Under 
these  circumstances  he  wrote  the  following 
farewell  letter  to  his  wife  : 

"I  have  yet  a  few  minutes  to  devote  to  af- 
fection, tears,  and  regret,  and  then  I  must  whol- 
ly give  myself  up  to  the  glory  of  my  fate  and 
to  thoughts  of  immortality.  When  you  re- 
ceive this  letter,  my  dear  Josephine,  your  hus- 


1794.]   PARENTAGE  AND  BIRTH.         43 

Latter  from  Beauharnais. 

band  will  have  ceased  to  live,  and  will  be  tast- 
ing true  existence  in  the  bosom  of  his  Creator. 
Do  not  weep  for  him.  The  wicked  and  sense- 
less beings  who  survive  him  are  more  worthy 
of  your  tears,  for  they  are  doing  mischief  which 
they  can  never  repair.  But  let  us  not  cloud 
the  present  moments  by  any  thoughts  of  their 
guilt.  1  wish,  on  the  contrary,  to  brighten 
these  hours  by  the  reflection  that  I  have  enjoy- 
ed the  affection  of  a  lovely  woman,  and  that 
our  union  would  have  been  an  uninterrupted 
course  of  happiness,  but  for  errors  which  I  was 
too  late  to  acknowledge  and  atone  for.  This 
thought  wrings  tears  from  my  eyes,  though 
your  generous  heart  pardons  me.  But  this  is 
no  time  to  revive  the  recollection  of  my  errors 
and  of  your  wrongs.  What  thanks  I  owe  to 
Providence,  who  will  reward  you. 

"  That  Providence  disposes  of  me  before  my 
time.  This  is  another  blessing,  for  which  I  am 
grateful.  Can  a  virtuous  man  live  happy  when 
he  sees  the  whole  world  a  prey  to  the  wicked  ? 
I  should  rejoice  in  being  taken  away,  were  it 
not  for  the  thought  of  leaving  those  I  love  be- 
hind me.  But  if  the  thoughts  of  the  dying  are 
presentiments,  something  in  my  heart  tells  me 
that  these  horrible  butcheries  are  drawing  to  a 
close ;  that  the  executioners  will,  in  their  turn, 


44  HORTENSE.  [1794 


letter  from  Beauharnais. 


become  victims ;  that  the  arts  and  sciences  will 
again  flourish  in  France ;  that  wise  and  mode- 
rate laws  will  take  the  place  of  cruel  sacrifices, 
and  that  you  will  at  length  enjoy  the  happiness 
which  you  have  deserved.  Our  children  will 
discharge  the  debt  for  their  father. 

****** 

"  I  resume  these  incoherent  and  almost  il- 
legible lines,  which  were  interrupted  by  the  en- 
trance of  my  jailer.  I  have  submitted  to  a 
cruel  ceremony,  which,  under  any  other  cir- 
cumstances, I  would  have  resisted  at  the  sacri- 
fice of  my  life.  Yet  why  should  we  rebel 
against  necessity  ?  Reason  tells  us  to  make 
the  best  of  it  we  can.  My  hair  has  been  cut 
off.  I  had  some  idea  of  buying  a  part  of  it,  in 
order  to  leave  to  my  wife  and  children  an  un- 
equivocal.pledge  of  my  last  recollection  of  them. 
Alas!  my  heart  breaks  at  the  very  thought, 
and  my  tears  bedew  the  paper  on  which  I  am 
writing.  Adieu,  all  that  I  love.  Think  of 
me,  and  do  not  forget  that  to  die  the  victim  of 
tyrants  and  the  martyrs  of  liberty  sheds  lustre 
on  the  scaffold." 

Josephine  did  not  receive  this  letter  until 
after  her  husband's  execution.  The  next  af- 
ternoon one  of  the  daily  papers  was  brought 


1794.]    PARENTAGE  AND  BIRTH.         45 


Execution  of  Beauharnaia. 


into  the  prison  of  the  Carmelites.  Josephine 
anxiously  ran  her  eye  over  the  record  of  the 
executions,  and  found  the  name  of  her  hus- 
band in  the  fatal  list.  She  fell  senseless  to  the 
floor  in  a  long-continued  swoon.  When  con- 
sciousness returned,  she  exclaimed  at  first,  in 
the  delirium  of  her  anguish,  "  0  God,  let  me 
die !  let  me  die !  There  is  no  peace  for  me 
but  in  the  grave."  And  then  again  a  mother's 
love,  as  she  thought  of  her  orphan  children, 
led  her  to  cling  to  the  misery  of  existence  for 
their  sake.  Soon,  however,  the  unpitying 
agents  of  the  revolutionary  tribunal  came  to 
her  with  the  announcement  that  in  two  days 
she  was  to  be  led  to  the  Conciergerie,  and 
thence  to  her  execution. 

In  the  following  letter  Josephine  informed 
her  children  of  the  death  of  their  father,  and 
of  her  own  approaching  execution.  It  is  a 
letter  highly  characteristic  of  this  wonderful 
woman  in  the  attempt,  by  the  assumption  of 
calmness,  to  avoid  as  far  as  possible  lacerating 
the  feelings  of  Eugene  and  Hortense. 

"  The  hand  which  will  deliver  this  to  you 
is  faithful  and  sure.  You  will  receive  it  from 
a  friend  who  knows  and  has  shared  my  sor- 
rows. I  know  not  by  what  accident  she  has 


46  HORTENSE. 


Josephine  to  her  children. 


hitherto  been  spared.  I  call  this  accident  for- 
tunate ;  she  regards  it  as  a  calamity.  '  Is  it 
not  disgraceful  to  live,'  said  she  yesterday, 
'when  all  who  are  good  have  the  honor  of 
dying?'  May  Heaven,  as  the  reward  of  her 
courage,  refuse  her  the  fatal  honor  she  desires. 

"  As  to  me,  I  am  qualified  for  that  honor, 
and  I  am  preparing  myself  for  receiving  it. 
Why  has  disease  spared  me  so  long?  But  1 
must  not  murmur.  As  a  wife,  I  ought  to  fol- 
low the  fate  of  my  husband,  and  can  there  now 
be  any  fate  more  glorious  than  to  ascend  the 
scaffold?  It  is  a  patent  of  immortality,  pur- 
chased by  a  prompt  and  pleasing  death. 

"  My  children,  your  father  is  dead,  and  your 
mother  is  about  to  follow  him.  But  as  before 
that  final  stroke  the  assassins  leave  me  a  few 
moments  to  myself,  I  wish  to  employ  them 
in  writing  to  you.  Socrates,  when  condemned, 
philosophized  with  his  disciples.  A  mother, 
on  the  point  of  undergoing  a  similar  fate,  may 
discourse  with  her  children. 

"  My  last  sigh  will  be  for  you,  and  I  wish 
to  make  my  last  words  a  lasting  lesson.  Time 
was,  when  I  gave  you  lessons  in  a  more  pleas- 
ing way.  But  the  present  will  not  be  the  less 
useful,  that  it  is  given  at  so  serious  a  moment. 


1794.]    PARENTAGE   AND   BIRTH.          47 


Josephine  to  her  children. 


I  have  the  weakness  to  water  it  with  my  tears. 
I  shall  soon  have  the  courage  to  seal  it  with 
my  blood. 

"  Hitherto  it  was  impossible  to  be  happier 
than  I  have  been.  While  to  my  union  with 
your  father  I  owed  my  felicity,  I  may  ven- 
ture to  think  and  to  say  that  to  my  character 
I  was  indebted  for  that  union.  I  found  in  rny 
heart  the  means  of  winning  the  affection  of  my 
husband's  relations.  Patience  and  gentleness 
always  succeed  in  gaining  the  good-will  of 
others.  You  also,  my  dear  children,  possess 
natural  advantages  which  cost  little,  and  are 
of  great  value.  But  you  must  learn  how  to 
employ  them,  and  that  is  what  I  still  feel  a 
pleasure  in  teaching  you  by  my  example. 
****** 

"  Here  I  must  record  the  gratitude  I  owe  to 
my  excellent  brother-in-law,  who  has,  under 
various  circumstances,  given  me  proofs  of  the 
most  sincere  friendship,  though  he  was  of  quite 
a  different  opinion  from  your  father,  who  em- 
braced the  new  ideas  with  all  the  enthusiasm 
of  a  lively  imagination.  He  fancied  liberty 
was  to  be  secured  by  obtaining  concessions 
from  the  king,  whom  he  venerated.  But  all 
was  lost,  and  nothing  gained  but  anarchy. 


48  HORTENSE.  [1794. 


Josephine  to  her  children. 


Who  will  arrest  the  torrent?  O  God  1  unless 
thy  powerful  hand  control  and  restrain  it,  we 
are  undone. 

"  For  my  part,  my  children,  I  am  about  to 
die,  as  your  father  died,  a  victim  of  the  fury  he 
always  opposed,  but  to  which  he  fell  a  sacri- 
fice. I  leave  life  without  hatred  of  France 
and  its  assassins,  whom  I  despise.  But  I  am 
penetrated  with  sorrow  for  the  misfortunes  of 
my  country.  Honor  my  memory  in  sharing 
my  sentiments.  I  leave  for  your  inheritance 
the  glory  of  your  father  and  the  name  of  your 
mother,  whom  some  who  have  been  unfortU' 
nate  will  bear  in  remembrance." 


1794.]  MARRIAGE  OF  JOSEPHINE.       49 


Release  of  Josephine. 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE  MARRIAGE  OF  JOSEPHINE  AND 
GENERAL  BONAPARTE. 

THE  day  before  Josephine  was  to  be  led 
to  her  execution  there  was  a  new  revolu- 
tion in  Paris.  Robespierre  and  the  party  then 
in  power  were  overthrown.  From  condemn- 
ing others,  they  were  condemned  themselves. 
They  had  sent  hundreds,  in  the  cart  of  the  ex- 
ecutioner, to  the  guillotine.  Now  it  was  their 
turn  to  take  that  fatal  ride,  to  ascend  the  steps 
of  the  scaffold,  and  to  have  their  own  heads 
severed  by  the  keen  edge  of  the  knife.  Those 
whom  they  had  imprisoned  were  set  at  liberty. 
As  Josephine  emerged  from  the  gloom  of 
her  prison  into  the  streets  of  Paris,  she  found 
herself  a  widow,  homeless,  almost  friendless, 
and  in  the  extreme  of  penury.  But  for  her 
children,  life  would  have  been  a  burden  from 
which  she  would  have  been  glad  to  be  relieved 
by  the  executioner's  axe.  The  storms  of  rev- 
olution had  dispersed  all  her  friends,  and  ter- 
3—4 


50  HOETENSE.  [1794. 

Apprenticeship  of  Eugene  and  Horteuge. 

ror  reigned  in  Paris.  Her  children  were  liv- 
ing upon  the  charity  of  others.  It  was  neces- 
sary to  conceal  their  birth  as  the  children  of  a 
noble,  for  the  brutal  threat  of  Marat  ever  rang 
in  her  ears,  "We  must  exterminate  all  the 
whelps  of  aristocracy." 

Hoping  to  conceal  the  illustrious  lineage  of 
Eugene,  and  Hortense,  and  probably  also  im- 
pelled by  the  necessities  of  poverty,  Josephine 
apprenticed  her  son  to  a  house  carpenter,  and 
her  daughter  was  placed,  with  other  girls  of 
more  lowly  birth,  in  the  shop  of  a  milliner. 
But  Josephine's  beauty  of  person,  grace  of 
manners,  and  culture  of  mind  could  not  leave 
her  long  in  obscurity.  Every  one  who  met 
her  was  charmed  with  her  unaffected  loveli- 
ness. New  friends  were  created,  among  them 
some  who  were  in  power.  Through  their  inter- 
position, a  portion  of  her  husband's  confiscated 
estates  was  restored  to  her.  She  was  thus  pro- 
vided with  means  of  a  frugal  support  for  her- 
self and  her  children.  Engaging  humble 
apartments,  she  devoted  herself  entirely  to 
their  education.  Both  of  the  children  were 
richly  endowed;  inheriting  from  their  mother 
and  their  father  talents,  personal  loveliness, 
and  an  instinctive  power  of  attraction.  Thus 


1794.]  MARRIAGE  OF  JOSEPHINE.       51 


Napoleon  Bonaparte. 


there  came  a  brief  lull  in  those  dreadful  storms 
of  life  by  which  Josephine  had  been  so  long 
buffeted. 

But  suddenly,  like  the  transformations  of 
the  kaleidoscope,  there  came  another  and  a 
marvellous  change.  All  are  familiar  with  the 
circumstances  of  her  marriage  to  the  young 
and  rising  general,  Napoleon  Bonaparte.  This 
remarkable  young  man,  enjoying  the  renown  of 
having  captured  Toulon,  and  of  having  quell- 
ed a  very  formidable  insurrection  in  the  streets 
of  Paris,  was  ordered  by  the  then  existing  Gov- 
ernment to  disarm  the  whole  Parisian  popula- 
tion, that  there  might  be  no  further  attempt  at 
insurrection.  The  officers  who  were  sent,  in 
performance  of  this  duty,  from  house  to  house, 
took  from  Josephine  the  sword  of  her  husband, 
which  she  had  preserved  as  a  sacred  relic. 
The  next  day  Eugene  repaired  to  the  head- 
quarters of  General  Bonaparte  to  implore  that 
the  sword  of  his  father  might  be  restored  to 
him.  The  young  general  was  so  much  im- 
pressed with  the  grace  and  beauty  of  the  boy, 
and  with  his  artless  and  touching  eloquence, 
that  he  made  many  inquiries  respecting  his 
parentage,  treated  him  with  marked  tender- 
ness, and  promptly  restored  the  sword.  Jo 


52  HORTENSE.  [1795. 


Josephine  and  Napoleon. 


sephine  was  so  grateful  for  the  kindness  of 
General  Bonaparte  to  Eugene,  that  the  next 
day  she  drove  to  his  quarters  to  express  a 
mother's  thanks.  General  Bonaparte  was  even 
more  deeply  impressed  with  the  grace  and 
loveliness  of  the  mother  than  he  had  been 
with  the  child.  He  sought  her  acquaintance ; 
this  led  to  intimacy,  to  love,  and  to  the  proffer 
of  marriage. 

In  the  following  letter  to  a  friend  Josephine 
expressed  her  views  in  reference  to  her  mar- 
riage with  General  Bonaparte : 

"  I  am  urged,  my  dear,  to  marry  again  by 
the  advice  of  all  my  friends,  and  I  may  almost 
say,  by  the  commands  of  my  aunt  and  the 
prayers  of  my  children.  Why  are  you  not 
here  to  help  me  by  your  advice,  and  to  tell  me 
whether  I  ought  or  not  to  consent  to  a  union 
which  certainly  seems  calculated  to  relieve  me 
from  the  discomforts  of  my  present  situation? 
Your  friendship  would  render  you  clear-sighted 
to  my  interests,  and  a  word  from  you  would 
suffice  to  bring  me  to  a  decision. 

"Among  my  visitors  you  have  seen  General 
Bonaparte.  He  is  the  man  who  wishes  to  be- 
come a  father  to  the  orphans  of  Alexander  de 
Beauharnais,  and  husband  to  his  widow. 


1795.]  MARRIAGE  OF  JOSEPHINE.       53 


Josephine  to  her  aunt. 


"  '  Do  you  love  him  ?'  is  naturally  your  first 
question.  My  answer  is  perhaps  '  wo.'  '  Do 
you  dislike  him?'  'No,'  again.  But  the  sen- 
timents I  entertain  towards  him  are  of  that 
lukewarm  kind  which  true  devotees  think  worst 
of  all,  in  matters  of  religion.  Now  love  being 
a  sort  of  religion,  my  feelings  ought  to  be  very 
different  from  what  they  really  are.  This  is 
the  point  on  which  I  want  your  advice,  which 
would  fix  the  wavering  of  my  irresolute  dispo- 
sition. To  come  to  a  decision  has  always  been 
too  much  for  my  Creole  inertness,  and  I  find 
it  easier  to  obey  the  wishes  of  others. 

"  I  admire  the  general's  courage,  the  extent 
of  his  information  on  every  subject  on  which 
he  converses ;  his  shrewd  intelligence,  which 
enables  him  to  understand  the  thoughts  of  oth- 
ers before  they  are  expressed.  But  I  confess 
that  I  am  somewhat  fearful  of  that  control 
which  he  seems  anxious  to  exercise  over  all 
about  him.  There  is  something  in  his  scruti- 
nizing glance  that  can  not  be  described.  It 
awes  even  our  Directors.  Therefore  it  may 
well  be  supposed  to  intimidate  a  woman.  He 
talks  of  his  passion  for  me  with  a  degree  of 
earnestness  which  renders  it  impossible  to 
doubt  his  sincerity.  Yet  this  very  circum' 


54  HORTENSE.  [1795. 


Josephine  to  her  aunt. 


stance,  which  you  would  suppose  likely  to 
please  me,  is  precisely  that  which  has  withheld 
me  from  giving  the  consent  which  I  have  often 
been  upon  the  point  of  uttering. 

"  My  spring  of  life  is  past.  Gan  I  then  hope 
to  preserve  for  any  length  of  time  that  ardor 
of  affection  which  in  the  general  amounts  al- 
most to  madness  ?  If  his  love  should  cool,  as 
it  certainly  will  after  our  marriage,  will  he  not 
reproach  me  for  having  prevented  him  from 
forming  a  more  advantageous  connection  ? 
What,  then,  shall  I  say  ?  What  shall  I  do  ?  I 
may  shut  myself  up  and  weep.  Fine  consola- 
tion truly,  methinks  I  hear  you  say.  But  una- 
vailing as  I  know  it  is,  weeping  is,  I  assure  you, 
my  only  consolation  whenever  my  poor  heart 
receives  a  wound.  Write  to  me  quickly,  and 
pray  scold  me  if  you  think  me  wrong.  You 
know  every  thing  is  welcome  that  comes  from 
you. 

"  Barras*  assures  me  that  if  I  marry  the  gen- 
eral, he  will  get  him  appointed  commander-in- 
chief  of  the  Army  of  Italy.  This  favor,  though 
not  yet  granted,  occasions  some  murmuring 
among  Bonaparte's  brother  -  officers.  When 

*  Barras,  a  leading  member  of  the  Directory,  and  a  strong 
friend  of  General  Bonaparte. 


1795.]  MARRIAGE  OF  JOSEPHINE.       55 


Josephine  to  her  aunt. 


opeaking  to  me  on  the  subject  yesterday,  Gen- 
eral Bonaparte  said : 

"  '  Do  they  think  that  I  can  not  get  forward; 
without  their  patronage?  One  day  or  other- 
they  will  all  be  too  happy  if  I  grant  them/ 
mine.  I  have  a  good  sword  by  my  side,  which, 
will  carry  me  on.' 

"  What  do  you  think  of  this  self-confidence? 
Does  it  not  savor  of  excessive  vanity?  A 
general  of  brigade  to  talk  of  patronizing  the 
chiefs  of  Government?  It  is  very  ridiculous. 
Yet  I  know  not  how  it  happens,  his  ambitious- 
spirit  sometimes  wins  upon  me  so  far  that  I 
am  almost  tempted  to  believe  in  the  practica- 
bility of  any  project  he  takes  into  his  head ; 
and  who  can  foresee  what  he  may  attempt? 

"  Madame  Tallien  desires  me  to  present  her 
love  to  you.  She  is  still  fair  and  good  as  ever. 
She  employs  her  immense  influence  only  for 
the  benefit  of  the  unfortunate.  And  when  she 
performs  a  favor,  she  appears  as  pleased  and 
satisfied  as  though  she  herself  were  the  obliged 
party.  Her  friendship  for  me  is  most  affec- 
tionate and  sincere.  And  of  my  regard  for  her 
I  need  only  say  that  it  is  equal  to  that  which  I 
entertain  for  you. 

"  Hortense  grows  more  and  more  interesting 


56  HORTENSE.  [1796. 

Marriage  of  Josephine. 

every  day.  Her  pretty  figure  is  fully  devel- 
oped, and,  if  I  were  so  inclined,  I  should  have 
ample  reason  to  rail  at  Time,  who  confers 
charms  on  the  daughter  at  the  expense  of  the 
mother.  But  truly  I  have  other  things  to 
think  of.  I  try  to  banish  gloomy  thoughts, 
and  look  forward  to  a  more  propitious  future, 
for  we  shall  soon  meet,  never  to  part  again. 

"But  for  this  marriage,  which  harasses  and 
unsettles  me,  I  could  be  cheerful  in  spite  of 
every  thing.  Were  it  once  over,  happen  what 
might,  I  could  resign  myself  to  my  fate.  I  am 
inured  to  suffering,  and,  if  I  be  destined  to  taste 
fresh  sorrow,  I  can  support  it,  provided  my 
children,  my  aunt,  and  you  remain  to  comfort 
me. 

"  You  know  we  have  agreed  to  dispense 
with  all  formal  terminations  to  our  letters.  So 
adieu,  my  friend, 

"  JOSEPHINE." 

In  March,  1796,  Josephine  became  the  bride 
of  Napoleon  Bonaparte,  then  the  most  promis- 
ing young  general  in  France,  and  destined  to 
become,  in  achievements  and  renown,  the  fore« 
most  man  in  all  the  world.  Eugene  was  imme- 
diately taken  into  the  service  of  his  stepfather. 


1796.]  MARRIAGE  OF  JOSEPHINE.      57 


Letter  to  Eugene. 


In  the  following  letter  to  Eugene  we  have  a 
pleasing  revelation  of  the  character  of  Hor- 
tense  at  that  time,  and  of  the  affectionate  rela- 
tions existing  between  the  mother  and  her 
children : 

"  I  learn  with  pleasure,  my  dear  Eugene, 
that  your  conduct  is  worthy  of  the  name  you 
bear,  and  of  the  protector  under  whom  it  is  so 
easy  to  learn  to  become  a  great  captain.  Bo- 
naparte has  written  to  me  that  you  are  every 
thing  that  he  can  wish.  As  he  is  no  flatterer, 
my  heart  is  proud  to  read  your  eulogy  sketch- 
ed by  a  hand  which  is  usually  far  from  being 
lavish  in  praise.  You  well  know  that  I  never 
doubted  your  capability  to  undertake  great 
things,  or  the  brilliant  courage  which  you  in- 
herit. But  you,  alas !  know  how  much  I  dis- 
like your  removal  from  me,  fearing  that  your 
natural  impetuosity  might  carry  you  too  far, 
and  that  it  might  prevent  you  from  submitting 
to  the  numerous  petty  details  of  discipline 
which  must  be  very  disagreeable  when  the 
rank  is  only  subaltern. 

"  Judge,  then,  of  my  joy  on  learning  that 
you  remember  my  advice,  and  that  you  are  as 
obedient  to  your  superiors  in  command  as  you 
are  kind  and  humane  to  those  beneath  you 


58  HORTENSE.  [1796. 


Letter  to  Eugene. 


This  conduct,  my  child,  makes  me  quite  happy, 
and  these  words,  I  know,  will  reward  you  more 
than  all  the  favors  you  can  receive.  Eead  them 
often,  and  repeat  to  yourself  that  your  mother, 
though  far  from  you,  complains  not  of  her  lot, 
since  she  knows  that  yours  will  be  brilliant, 
and  will  deserve  so  to  be. 

"  Your  sister  shares  all  my  feelings,  and  will 
tell  you  so  herself.  But  that  of  which  I  am 
sure  she  will  not  speak,  and  which  is  therefore 
my  duty  to  tell,  is  her  attention  to  me  and  her 
aunt.  Love  her,  my  son,  for  to  me  she  brings 
consolation,  and  she  overflows  with  affection 
for  you.  She  prosecutes  her  studies  with  un- 
common success,  but  music,  I  think,  will  be  the 
art  she  will  carry  to  the  highest  perfection. 
With  her  sweet  voice,  which  is  now  well  culti- 
vated, she  sings  romances  in  a  manner  that 
would  surprise  you.  I  have  just  bought  her  a 
new  piano  from  the  best  maker,  Erard,  which 
redoubles  her  passion  for  that  charming  art 
which  you  prefer  to  every  other.  That  per- 
haps accounts  for  your  sister  applying  to  it 
with  so  much  assiduity. 

"  Were  you  here,  you  would  be  telling  me 
a  thousand  times  a  day  to  beware  of  the  men 
who  pay  particular  attention  to  Hortense. 


1796.]  MARRIAGE  OF  JOSEPHINE.      59 


Rising  greatness  of  Napoleon. 


Some  there  are  who  do  so  whom  you  do  not 
like,  and  whom  you  seem  to  fear  she  may  pre- 
fer. Set  your  mind  at  rest.  She  is  a  bit  of  a 
coquette,  is  pleased  with  her  success,  and  tor- 
ments her  victims,  but  her  heart  is  free.  I  am 
the  confidante  of  all  her  thoughts  and  feelings, 
which  have  hitherto  been  just  what  they  ought 
to  be.  She  now  knows  that  when  she  thinks 
of  marrying,  it  is  not  my  consent  alone  she  has 
to  seek,  and  that  my  will  is  subordinate  to  that 
of  the  man  to  whom  we  owe  every  thing.  The 
knowledge  of  this  fact  must  prevent  her  from 
fixing  her  choice  in  a  way  that  may  not  meet 
the  approval  of  Bonaparte,  and  the  latter  will 
not  give  your  sister  in  marriage  to  any  one  to 
whom  you  can  object." 

There  was  now  an  end  to  poverty  and  ob- 
scurity. The  rise  of  Napoleon  was  so  brilliant 
and  rapid  that  Josephine  was  speedily  placed 
at  the  head  of  society  in  Paris,  and  vast  crowds 
were  eager  to  do  her  homage.  Never  before 
did  man  move  with  strides  so  rapid.  The 
lapse  of  a  few  months  transformed  her  from  al- 
most a  homeless,  friendless,  impoverished  wid- 
ow, to  be  the  bride  of  one  whose  advancing 
greatness  seemed  to  outvie  the  wildest  creations 
of  fiction.  The  unsurpassed  splendor  of  Napo- 


60  HORTENSE.  [1797. 


Expedition  to  Kgypt. 


Icon's  achievements  crowded  the  saloons  of 
Josephine  with  statesmen,  philosophers,  gener- 
als, and  all  who  ever  hasten  to  the  shrine  of 
rising  greatness. 

After  the  campaign  of  Italy,  which  gave  Na- 
poleon not  only  a  French  but  a  European  np- 
utation  for  military  genius  and  diplomatic  skill, 
he  took  command  of  the  Army  of  Egypt.  Jo- 
sephine accompanied  him  to  Toulon.  Stand- 
ing upon  a  balcony,  she  with  tearful  eyes 
watched  the  receding  fleet  which  bore  her 
husband  to  that  far-distant  land,  until  it  disap- 
peared beneath  the  horizon  of  the  blue  Medi- 
terranean. Eugefie  accompanied  his  father. 
Hortense  remained  with  her  mother,  who  took 
up  her  residence  most  of  the  time  during  her 
husband's  absence  at  Plombieres,  a  celebrated 
watering-place. 

Josephine,  anxious  in  every  possible  way  to 
promote  the  popularity  of  her  absent  husband, 
and  thus  to  secure  his  advancement,  received 
with  cordiality  all  who  came  to  her  with  their 
congratulations.  She  was  endowed  with  mar- 
vellous power  of  pleasing.  Every  one  who 
saw  her  was  charmed  with  her.  Hortense  was 
bewitchingly  beautiful  and  attractive. 

Josephine  had  ample  means  to  indulge  her 


1797.]  MARRIAGE  OF  JOSEPHINE.      61 


Letter  to  Bonaparte. 


taste  in  entertainments,  and  was  qualified  emi- 
nently to  shine  in  such  scenes.  The  conse- 
quence was  that  her  saloons  were  the  constant 
resort  of  rank  and  wealth  and  fashion.  Some 
enemy  wrote  to  Napoleon,  and  roused  his  jeal- 
ousy to  a  very  high  degree,  by  representing 
Josephine  as  forgetting  her  husband,  immersed 
in  pleasure,  and  coquetting  with  all  the  world. 

Napoleon  was  exceedingly  disturbed,  and 
wrote  Josephine  a  very  severe  letter.  The  fol- 
lowing extract  from  her  reply  fully  explains 
the  nature  of  this  momentary  estrangement : 

"  Is  it  possible,  general,  that  the  letter  I  have 
just  received  comes  from  you  ?  I  can  scarcely 
credit  it  when  I  compare  that  letter  with  others 
to  which  your  love  imparts  so  many  charms. 
My  eyes,  indeed,  would  persuade  me  that  your 
hands  traced  these  lines,  but  my  heart  refuses 
to  believe  that  a  letter  from  you  could  ever 
have  caused  the  mortal  anguish  I  experience 
on  perusing  these  expressions  of  your  displeas- 
ure, which  afflict  me  the  more  when  I  consider 
how  much  pain  they  must  have  caused  you. 

"  I  know  not  what  I  have  done  to  provoke 
some  malignant  enemy  to  destroy  my  peace 
by  disturbing  yours.  But  certainly  a  power- 
ful motive  must  influence  some  one  in  continu- 


62  HORTENSE.  [1797. 

Letter  to  Bonaparte. 

ally  renewing  calumnies  against  me,  and  giv- 
ing them  a  sufficient  appearance  of  probability 
to  impose  on  the  man  who  has  hitherto  j  udged 
me  worthy  of  his  affection  and  confidence. 
These  two  sentiments  are  necessary  to  my  hap- 
piness. And  if  they  are  to  be  so  soon  with- 
drawn from  me,  I  can  only  regret  that  I  was 
ever  blest  in  possessing  them  or  knowing  you. 

"  On  my  first  acquaintance  with  you,  the  af- 
fliction with  which  I  was  overwhelmed  led  me 
to  believe  that  my  heart  must  ever  remain  a 
stranger  to  any  sentiment  resembling  love. 
The  sanguinary  scenes  of  which  I  had  been  a 
witness  and  a  victim  constantly  haunted  my 
thoughts.  I  therefore  apprehended  no  danger 
to  myself  from  the  frequent  enjoyment  of  your 
society.  Still  less  did  I  imagine  that  I  could 
for  a  single  moment  fix  your  choice. 

"  I,  like  every  one  else,  admired  your  talents 
and  acquirements.  And  better  than  any  one 
else  I  foresaw  your  future  glory.  But  still  I 
loved  you  only  for  the  services  you  rendered 
to  my  country.  Why  did  you  seek  to  convert 
admiration  into  a  more  tender  sentiment,  by 
availing  yourself  of  all  those  powers  of  pleas- 
ing with  which  you  are  so  eminently  gifted, 
since,  so  shortly  after  having  united  vour  des< 


1797.]  MARRIAGE  OF  JOSEPHINE.      63 


Letter  to  Bonaparte. 


tiny  with  mine,  you  regret  the  felicity  you 
have  conferred  upon  me? 

"  Do  you  think  I  can  ever  forget  the  love 
with  which  you  once  cherished  me?  Can  I 
ever  become  indifferent  to  the  man  who  has 
blest  me  with  the  most  enthusiastic  and  ardent 
passion  ?  Can  I  ever  efface  from  my  memory 
your  paternal  affection  for  Hortense,  the  advice 
and  example  you  have  given  Eugene?  If  all 
this  appears  impossible,  how  can  you,  for  a  mo- 
ment, suspect  me  of  bestowing  a  thought  upon 
any  but  yourself? 

"Instead  of  listening  to  traducers,  who,  for 
reasons  which  I  can  not  explain,  seek  to  disturb 
our  happiness,  why  do  you  not  silence  them  by 
enumerating  the  benefits  you  have  bestowed 
on  a  woman  whose  heart  could  never  be  reach- 
ed with  ingratitude?  The  knowledge  of  what 
you  have  done  for  my  children  would  check 
the  malignity  of  these  calumniators ;  for  they 
would  then  see  that  the  strongest  link  of  my 
attachment  for  you  depends  on  rny  character 
as  a  mother.  Your  subsequent  conduct,  which 
has  claimed  the  admiration  of  all  Europe,  could 
have  no  other  effect  than  to  make  me  adore 
the  husband  who  gave  me  his  hand  when  I 
was  poor  and  unfortunate.  Every  step  you 


64  HORTENSE.  [1798 


Letter  to  Bonaparte. 


take  adds  to  the  glory  of  the  name  I  bear. 
Yet  this  is  the  moment  which  has  been  selected 
for  persuading  you  that  I  no  longer  love  you  I 
Surely  nothing  can  be  more  wicked  and  absurd 
than  the  conduct  of  those  who  are  about  you, 
arid  are  jealous  of  your  marked  superiority. 

"  Yes,  I  still  love  you,  and  no  less  tenderly 
than  ever.  Those  who  allege  the  contrary 
know  that  they  speak  falsely.  To  those  very 
persons  I  have  frequently  written  to  inquire 
about  you,  and  to  recommend  them  to  console 
you,  by  their  friendship,  for  the  absence  of  her 
who  is  your  best  and  truest  friend. 

"  I  acknowledge  that  I  see  a  great  deal  of 
company;  for  every  one  is  eager  to  compli- 
ment me  on  your  success,  and  I  confess  that  I 
have  not  resolution  to  close  my  door  against 
those  who  speak  of  you.  I  also  confess  that  a 
great  portion  of  my  visitors  are  gentlemen. 
Men  understand  your  bold  projects  better  than 
women  ;  and  they  speak  with  enthusiasm  of 
your  glorious  achievements,  while  my  female 
friends  only  complain  of  you  for  having  carried 
away  their  husbands,  brothers,  or  fathers.  > 

"  I  take  no  pleasure  in  their  society  if  they 
do  not  praise  you.  Yet  there  are  some  among 
them  whose  hearts  and  understandings  claim 


1798.]  MAKRIAGE  OF  JOSEPHINE.       65 


Letter  to  Bonaparte. 


my  highest  regard,  because  they  entertain  sin- 
cere friendship  for  you.  In  this  number  I 
may  mention  ladies  Arquillon,  Tallien,  and  my 
aunt.  They  are  almost  constantly  with  me; 
and  they  can  tell  you,  ungrateful  as  you  are, 
whether  /  have  been  coquetting  with  every  body. 
These  are  your  words.  And  they  would  be 
hateful  to  me  were  I  not  certain  that  you  had 
disavowed  them,  and  are  sorry  for  having  writ- 
ten them. 

"  I  sometimes  receive  honors  here  which 
cause  me  no  small  degree  of  embarrassment 
I  am  not  accustomed  to  this  sort  of  homage. 
And  I  see  that  it  is  displeasing  to  our  authori- 
ties, who  are  always  suspicious  and  fearful  of 
losing  their  newly -gotten  power.  If  they  are 
envious  now,  what  will  they  be  when  you  return 
crowned  with  fresh  laurels?  Heaven  knows  to 
what  lengths  their  malignity  will  then  carry 
them.  But  you  will  be  here,  and  then  noth- 
ing can  vex  me. 

"  But  I  will  say  no  more  of  them,  nor  of 
your  suspicions,  which  I  do  not  refute  one  by 
one,  because  they  are  all  equally  devoid  of 
probability.  And  to  make  amends  for  the  un- 
pleasant commencement  of  this  letter,  I  will  tell 
you  something  which  I  know  will  please  you. 

3—5 


66  HORTENSE.  [1798. 

Letter  to  Bonaparte. 

"Hortense,  in  her  efforts  to  console  me,  en- 
deavors as  far  as  possible  to  conceal  her  anxie- 
ty for  you  and  her  brother.  And  she  exerts 
all  her  ingenuity  to  banish  that  melancholy, 
the  existence  of  which  you  doubt,  but  which  I 
assure  you  never  forsakes  me.  If  by  her  live- 
ly conversation  and  interesting  talents  she 
sometimes  succeeds  iti  drawing  a  smile,  she 
joyfully  exclaims,  '  Dear  mamma,  that  will  be 
known  at  Cairo.'  The  fatal  word  immediately 
calls  to  my  mind  the  distance  which  separates 
me  from  you  and  my  son,  and  restores  the  mel- 
ancholy which  it  was  intended  to  divert  I  am 
obliged  to  make  great  efforts  to  conceal  my 
grief  from  my  daughter,  who,  by  a  word  or  a 
look,  transports  me  to  the  very  place  which  she 
would  wish  to  banish  from  my  thoughts. 

"Hortense's  figure  is  daily  becoming  more 
and  more  graceful.  She  dresses  with  great 
taste;  and  though  not  quite  so  handsome  as 
your  sisters,  she  may  certainly  be  thought 
agreeable  when  even  they  are  present. 

"  Heaven  knows  when  or  where  you  may 
receive  this  letter.  May  it  restore  you  to  that 
confidence  which  you  ought  never  to  have  lost, 
and  convince  you,  more  than  ever,  that,  long 
as  I  live,  I  shall  love  you  as  dearly  as  I  did 


1798.]  MARRIAGE  OF  JOSEPHINE.      67 


Madame  C'ampan. 


on  the  day  of  our  separation.     Adieu.     Believe 
me,  love  me,  and  receive  a  thousand  kisses. 

"  JOSEPHINE." 

There  was  at  that  time  a  very  celebrated 
female  school  at  St.  Germain,  under  the  care 
of  Madame  Campan.  This  illustrious  lady  was 
familiar  with  all  the  etiquette  of  the  court,  and 
was  also  endowed  with  a  superior  mind  high- 
ly cultivated.  At  the  early  age  of  fifteen  she 
had  been  appointed  reader  to  the  daughter  of 
Louis  XV.  Maria  Antoinette  took  a  strong 
fancy  to  her,  and  made  her  a  friend  and  com- 
panion. The  crumbling  of  the  throne  of  the 
Bourbons  and  the  dispersion  of  the  court  left 
Madame  Campan  without  a  home,  and  caused 
what  the  world  would  call  her  ruin. 

But  in  the  view  of  true  intelligence  this  re- 
verse of  fortune  only  elevated  her  to  a  far 
higher  position  of  responsibility,  usefulness, 
and  power.  Impelled  by  necessity,  she  open- 
ed a  boarding-school  for  young  ladies  at  St. 
Germain.  The  school  soon  acquired  celebrity. 
Almost  every  illustrious  family  in  France 
sought  to  place  their  daughters  under  her  care. 
She  thus  educated  very  many  young  ladies 
wiio  subsequently  occupied  very  important 


68  HORTENSE.  [1799. 

School-glil  days. 

positions  in  society  as  the  wives  and  mothers 
of  distinguished  men.  Some  of  her  pupils  at- 
tained to  royalty.  Thus  the  boarding-school 
of  Madame  Cam  pan  became  a  great  power  in 
France. 

Hortense  was  sent  to  this  school  with  Napo- 
leon's sister  Caroline,  who  subsequently  be- 
came Queen  of  Naples,  and  with  Stephanie 
Beauharnais,  to  whom  we  shall  have  occasion 
hereafter  to  refer  as  Duchess  of  Baden.  Ste- 
phanie was  a  cousin  of  Hortense,  being  a 
daughter  of  her  father's  brother,  the  Marquis 
de  Beauharnais. 

In  this  school  Hortense  formed  many  very 
strong  attachments.  Her  most  intimate  friend, 
however,  whom  she  loved  with  affection  which 
never  waned,  was  a  niece  of  Madame  Campan, 
by  the  name  of  Adele  Aguid,  afterwards  Ma- 
dame de  Broc,  whose  sad  fate,  hereafter  to  be 
described,  was  one  of  the  heaviest  blows  which 
fell  upon  Hortense.  It  would  seem  that  Hor- 
tense was  not  at  all  injured  by  the  flattery  lav- 
ished upon  her  in  consequence  of  the  renown 
of  her  father.  She  retained,  unchanged,  all 
her  native  simplicity  of  character,  which  she 
had  inherited  from  her  mother,  and  which  she 
ever  saw  illustrated  in  her  mother's  words  and 


1799.]  MARRIAGE  OF  JOSEPHINE.       69 


Letter  from  Josephine. 


actions.  Treating  the  humblest  with  the  same 
kindness  as  the  most  exalted,  she  won  all 
hearts,  and  made  herself  the  friend  of  every 
one  in  the  school. 

But  her  cousin  Stephanie  was  a  very  differ- 
ent character.  Her  father,  the  Marquis,  had 
fled  from  France  an  emigrant.  He  was  an 
aristocrat  by  birth,  and  in  all  his  cherished  sen- 
timents. In  his  flight  with  the  nobles,  from 
the  terrors  of  the  revolution,  he  had  left  his 
daughter  behind,  as  the  protegee  of*  Josephine. 
Inheriting  a  haughty  disposition,  and  elated 
by  the  grandeur  which  her  uncle  was  attain- 
ing, she  assumed  consequential  airs  which  ren- 
dered her  disagreeable  to  many  of  her  com- 
panions. The  eagle  eye  of  Josephine  detected 
these  faults  in  the  character  of  her  niece.  As 
Stephanie  returned  to  school  from  one  of  her 
vacations,  Josephine  sent  by  her  the  following 
letter  to  Madame  Campan : 

"In  returning  to  you  my  niece,  my  dear 
Madame  Campan,  I  send  you  both  thanks  and 
reproof: — thanks  for  the  brilliant  education 
you  have  given  her,  and  reproof  for  the  faults 
which  your  acuteness  must  have  noticed,  but 
which  your  indulgence  has  passed  over.  She 
is  good-tempered,  but  cold ;  well-informed,  but 


70  HORTENSE.  [1799, 

Napoleon's  retain  from  Egypt. 

disdainful ;  lively,  but  deficient  in  judgment. 
She  pleases  no  one,  and  it  gives  her  no  pain. 
She  fancies  the  renown  of  her  uncle  and  the 
gallantry  of  her  father  are  every  thing.  Teach 
her,  but  teach  her  plainly,  without  mincing, 
that  in  reality  they  are  nothing. 

"We  live  in  an  age  when  every  one  is  the 
child  of  his  own  deeds.  And  if  they  who  fill 
the  highest  ranks  of  public  service  enjoy  any 
superior  advantage  or  privilege,  it  is  the  op- 
portunity to  be  more  useful  and  more  beloved 
It  is  thus  alone  that  good  fortune  becomes  par- 
donable in  the  eyes  of  the  envious.  This  is 
what  I  would  have  you  repeat  to  her  constant- 
ly. I  wish  her  to  treat  all  her  companions  as 
her  equals.  Many  of  them  are  better,  or  at 
least  quite  as  deserving  as  she  is  herself,  and 
their  only  inferiority  is  in  not  having  had  re- 
lations equally  skillful  or  equally  fortunate. 
"JOSEPHINE  BONAPARTE." 

On  the  8th  of  October,  1799,  Napoleon  land- 
ed at  Frejus,  on  his  return  from  Egypt  His 
mind  was  still  very  much  disturbed  with  the 
reports  which  had  reached  him  respecting  Jo- 
sephine. Frejus  was  six  hundred  miles  from 
Paris — a  long  journey,  when  railroads  were 


1799.]  MARRIAGE  OF  JOSEPHINE.       71 


Josephine's  anguish. 


unknown.  The  intelligence  of  his  arrival  was 
promptly  communicated  to  the  metropolis  by 
telegraph.  Josephine  received  the  news  at 
midnight.  Without  an  hour's  delay  she  enter- 
ed her  carriage  with  Hortense,  taking  as  a  pro- 
tector Napoleon's  younger  brother  Louis,  who 
subsequently  married  Hortense,  and  set  out  to 
meet  her  husband.  Almost  at  the  same  hour 
Napoleon  left  Frejus  for  Paris. 

When  Josephine  reached  Lyons,  a  distance 
of  two  hundred  and  forty-two  miles  from  Paris, 
she  learned,  to  her  consternation,  that  Napoleon 
had  left  the  city  several  hours  before  her  arri- 
val, and  that  they  had  passed  each  other  by 
different  roads.  Her  anguish  was  dreadful. 
For  many  months  she  had  not  received  a  line 
from  her  husband,  as  all  communication  had 
been  intercepted  by  the  British  cruisers.  She 
knew  that  her  enemies  would  be  busy  in  poi- 
soning the  mind  of  her  husband  against  her. 
She  had  traversed  the  weary  leagues  of  her 
journey  without  a  moment's  intermission,  and 
now,  faint,  exhausted,  and  despairing,  she  was 
to  retrace  her  steps,  to  reach  Paris  only  many 
hours  after  Napoleon  would  have  arrived  thera 
Probably  in  all  France  there  was  not  then  a 
more  unhappy  woman  than  Josephine, 


72  HORTENSE.  [1799. 

Jealousy  of  Napoleon. 

The  mystery  of  human  love  and  jealousy  no 
philosophy  can  explain.  Secret  wretchedness 
was  gnawing  at  the  heart  of  Napoleon.  He 
loved  Josephine  with  intensest  passion,  and  all 
the  pride  of  his  nature  was  roused  by  the  con- 
viction that  she  had  trifled  with  him.  With 
these  conflicting  emotions  rending  his  soul,  he 
entered  Paris  and  drove  to  his  dwelling.  Jose- 
phine was  not  there.  Even  Josephine  had 
bitter  enemies,  as  all  who  are  in  power  ever 
must  have.  These  enemies  took  advantage  of 
her  absence  to  fan  the  flames  of  that  jealousy 
which  Napoleon  could  not  conceal.  It  was 
represented  to  him  that  Josephine  had  fled 
from  her  home,  afraid  to  meet  the  anger  of  her 
injured  husband.  As  he  paced  the  floor  in 
anguish,  which  led  him  to  forget  all  his  achieve- 
ments in  the  past  and  all  his  hopes  for  the  fu- 
ture, an  enemy  maliciously  remarked, 

"Josephine  will  soon  appear  before  you 
with  all  her  arts  of  fascination.  She  will  ex- 
plain matters,  you  will  forgive  all,  and  tran- 
quillity will  be  restored." 

Napoleon,  striding  nervously  up  and  down 
the  floor,  replied  with  pallid  cheek  and  trem- 
bling lip, 

"Never!  never!   Were  I  not  sure  of  my  res- 


1799.]  MARRIAGE  OF  JOSEPHINE.      73 


The  meeting  in  Paris. 


olution,  I  would  tear  out  this  heart  and  cast 
it  into  the  fire." 

Eugene  had  returned  with  Napoleon.  He 
loved  his  mother  to  adoration.  Anxiously 
he  sat  at  the  window  watching,  hour  after 
hour,  for  her  arrival.  At  midnight  on  the 
19th  the  rattle  of  her  carriage-wheels  was 
heard,  as  she  entered  the  courtyard  of  their 
dwelling  in  the  Rue  Chantereine.  Eugene 
rushed  to  his  mother's  arms.  Napoleon  had 
ever  been  the  most  courteous  of  husbands. 
Whenever  Josephine  returned,  even  from  an  or- 
dinary morning  drive,  he  would  leave  any  en- 
gagements to  greet  her  as  she  alighted  from  her 
carriage.  But  now,  after  an  absence  of  eight* 
een  months,  he  remained  sternly  in  his  cham- 
ber, the  victim  of  almost  unearthly  misery. 

In  a  state  of  terrible  agitation,  with  limbs 
tottering  and  heart  throbbing,  Josephine,  as- 
sisted by  Eugene  and  accompanied  by  Hor- 
tense,  ascended  the  stairs  to  the  parlor  where 
she  had  so  often  received  the  caresses  of  her 
husband.  She  opened  the  door.  Napoleon 
stood  before  her,  pale,  motionless  as  a  marble 
Btatue.  Without  one  kind  word  of  greeting 
he  said  sternly,  in  words  which  pierced  her 
heart, 


74  HORTENSE.  [1799. 

The  cruel  repulse. 

"  Madame,  it  is  my  wish  that  you  retire  im- 
mediately to  Malmaison." 

The  meek  and  loving  Josephine  uttered  not 
a  word.  She  would  have  fallen  senseless  to 
the  floor,  had  she  not  been  caught  in  the  arms 
of  her  son.  It  was  midnight.  For  a  week 
she  had  lived  in  her  carriage  almost  without 
sleep.  She  was  in  a  state  of  utter  exhaustion, 
both  of  body  and  of  mind.  It  was  twelve 
miles  to  Malmaison.  Napoleon  had  no  idea 
that  she  would  leave  the  house  until  the  morn- 
ing. Much  to  his  surprise,  he  soon  heard  the 
carriage  in  the  yard,  and  Josephine,  accompan- 
ied by  Eugene  and  Hortense,  descending  the 
stairs.  The  naturally  kind  heart  of  Napoleon 
could  not  assent  to  such  cruelty.  Immediately 
going  down  into  the  yard,  though  his  pride 
would  not  permit  him  to  speak  to  Josephine, 
he  addressed  Eugene,  and  requested  them  all 
to  return  for  refreshment  and  repose. 

In  silent  submission,  Eugene  and  Hortense 
conducted  their  mother  to  her  apartment, 
where  she  threw  herself  upon  her  couch  in  ab- 
ject misery.  In  equally  sleepless  woe,  Napo- 
leon retired  to  his  cabinet.  Two  days  of 
wretchedness  passed  away.  On  the  third,  the 
love  for  Josephine,  which  still  reigned  in  the 


THE   RECONCtLIATION. 


1799.]  MARRIAGE  OF  JOSEPHINE.       77 


The  reconciliation. 


heart  of  Napoleon,  so  far  triumphed  that  he  en- 
tered her  apartment.  Josephine  was  seated  at 
a  toilette-table,  with  her  head  bowed,  and  her 
eyes  buried  in  her  handkerchief.  The  table 
was  covered  with  the  letters  which  she  had  re- 
ceived from  Napoleon,  and  which  she  had  evi- 
dently been  perusing.  Hortense,  the  victim 
of  grief  and  despair,  was  standing  in  the  alcove 
of  a  window. 

Apparently  Josephine  did  not  hear  the  ap- 
proaching footsteps  of  her  husband.  He  ad- 
vanced softly  to  her  chair,  placed  his  hand 
upon  it,  and  said,  in  tones  almost  of  wonted 
kindness,  "Josephine."  She  started  at  the 
sound  of  that  well-known  and  dearly-loved 
voice,  and  turning  towards  him  her  swollen 
and  flooded  eyes,  responded,  "  My  dear."  The 
words  of  tenderness,  the  loving  voice,  brought 
back  with  resistless  rush  the  memory  of  the 
past.  Napoleon  was  vanquished.  He  extend- 
ed his  hand  to  Josephine.  She  rose,  threw  her 
arms  around  his  neck,  rested  her  throbbing, 
aching  head  upon  his  bosom,  and  wept  in  con- 
vulsions of  anguish.  A  long  explanation  en- 
sued. Napoleon  again  pressed  Josephine  to 
his  loving  heart,  satisfied,  perfectly  satisfied 
that  he  had  deeply  wronged  her ;  that  she  had 


78  HOBTENSE.  [1799. 

Napoleon  First  Consul. 

been  the  victim  of  base  traducers.     The  rec- 
onciliation was  perfect. 

Soon  after  this  Napoleon  overthrew  the  Di- 
rectory, and  established  the  Consulate.  This 
was  on  the  ninth  of  November,  1799,  usually 
called  18th  Brumaire.  Napoleon  was  thirty 
years  of  age,  and  was  now  First  Consul  of 
France.  After  the  wonderful  achievements  of 
this  day  of  peril,  during  which  Napoleon  had 
not  been  able  to  send  a  single  line  to  his  wife, 
at  four  o'clock  in  the  morning  he  alighted  from 
his  carriage  at  the  door  of  his  dwelling  at  the 
Eue  Chantereine.  Josephine,  in  a  state  of 
great  anxiety,  was  watching  at  the  window  for 
his  approach.  She  sprang  to  meet  him.  Na- 
poleon encircled  her  in  his  arms,  and  briefly 
recapitulated  the  memorable  scenes  of  the  day. 
He  assured  her  that  since  he  had  taken  the 
oath  of  office,  he  had  not  allowed  himself  to 
speak  to  a  single  individual,  for  he  wished  the 
beloved  voice  of  his  Josephine  might  be  the 
first  to  congratulate  him  upon  his  virtual  ac- 
cession to  the  Empire  of  France.  Throwing 
himself  upon  a  couch  for  a  few  moments  of 
repose,  he  exclaimed  gayly,  "Good-night,  my 
Josephine.  To-morrow  we  sleep  in  the  palace 
of  the  Luxembourg." 


1799.]  MARRIAGE  OF  JOSEPHINE.       79 


The  Luxembourg. 


This  renowned  palace,  with  its  vast  saloons, 
its  galleries  of  art,  its  garden,  is  one  of  the 
most  attractive  of  residences.  Napoleon  was 
now  virtually  the  monarch  of  France.  Jose- 
phine was  a  queen,  Eugene  and  Hortense  prince 
and  princess.  Strange  must  have  been  the 
emotions  of  Josephine  and  her  children  as,  en- 
compassed with  regal  splendor,  they  took  up 
their  residence  in  the  palace.  But  a  few  years 
before,  Josephine,  in  poverty,  friendlessness, 
and  intensest  anguish  of  heart,  had  led  her  chil- 
dren by  the  hand  through  those  halls  to  visit 
her  imprisoned  husband.  From  one  of  those 
apartments  the  husband  and  father  had  been 
led  to  his  trial,  and  to  the  scaffold,  and  now  this 
mother  enters  this  palace  virtually  a  queen, 
and  her  children  have  opening  before  them  the 
very  highest  positions  of  earthly  wealth  and 
honor. 


80  HORTENSE.  [1799. 

Calumnies. 


CHAPTER  III. 
HORTENSE  AND  DUROC. 

JT  is  a  very  unamiable  trait  in  human  nature, 
that  many  persons  are  more  eager  to  believe 
that  which  is  bad  in  the  character  of  others  than 
that  which  is  good.  The  same  voice  of  calum- 
ny, which  has  so  mercilessly  assailed  Josephine, 
has  also  traduced  Hortense.  It  is  painful  to 
witness  the  readiness  with  which  even  now  the 
vilest  slanders,  devoid  of  all  evidence,  can  be 
heaped  upon  a  noble  arid  virtuous  woman  who 
is  in  her  grave. 

In  the  days  of  Napoleon's  power,  he  himseli, 
his  mother,  his  wife,  his  sisters,  and  his  step- 
daughter, Hortense,  were  assailed  with  the  most 
envenomed  accusations  malice  could  engender. 
These  infamous  assaults,  which  generally  origi- 
nated with  the  British  Tory  press,  still  have 
lingering  echoes  throughout  the  world.  There 
are  those  who  seem  to  consider  it  no  crime  to 
utter  the  most  atrocious  accusations,  even  with- 
out a  shadow  of  proof,  against  those  who  are 
not  living.  Well  do  the  "  Berkeley  men  "  say : 


1799.]      HORTENSE    AND    DUROC.  81 


Testimony  of  the  Berkeley  men. 


"  The  Bonapartes,  especially  the  women  of 
that  family,  have  always  been  too  proud  and 
haughty  to  degrade  themselves.  Even  had 
they  lacked  what  is  technically  called  moral 
character,  their  virtue  has  been  intrenched  be- 
hind their  ancestry,  and  the  achievements  of 
their  own  family.  Nor  was  there  at  any  time 
an  instant  when  any  one  of  the  Bonapartes  could 
have  overstepped,  by  a  hair's-breadth,  the  line 
of  decency,  without  being  fatally  exposed. 
None  of  them  pursued  the  noiseless  tenor  of 
their  way  along  the  vale  of  obscurity.  They 
were  walking  in  the  clear  sunshine,  on  the  top- 
most summits  of  the  earth,  and  millions  of  ene- 
mies were  watching  every  step  they  took.  The 
highest  genius  of  historians,  the  bitterest  satire 
of  dramatists,  the  meanest  and  most  malig- 
nant pen  of  the  journalists  have  assailed  them 
for  half  a  century.  We  have  written  these 
words  because  a  Eepublican  is  the  only  man 
likely  to  speak  well  of  the  Bonaparte  family. 
It  was,  and  is,  and  will  be  the  dynasty  of  the 
people,  standing  there  from  1804,  a  fearful  an- 
tagonism against  the  feudal  age  and  its  souve 
nirs  of  oppression  and  crime." 

Napoleon  at  St.  Helena  said:   "Of  all  the 

libels  and  pamphlets  with  which  the  English 
3—6 


82  HORTENSE.  [1799. 

Remarks  of  Napoleon  at  St.  Helena. 

ministers  have  inundated  Europe,  there  is  not 
one  which  will  reach  posterity.  When  there 
shall  not  be  a  trace  of  those  libels  to  be  found, 
the  great  monuments  of  utility  which  I  have 
reared,  and  the  code  of  laws  which  I  have 
formed,  will  descend  to  the  remotest  ages ;  and 
future  historians  will  avenge  the  wrongs  done 
me  by  my  contemporaries.  There  was  a  time 
when  all  crimes  seemed  to  belong  to  me  of 
right.  Thus  I  poisoned  Hoche,  strangled  Pi- 
chegru  in  his  cell,  I  caused  Kleber  to  be  assassi- 
nated in  Egypt,  I  blew  out  Desaix's  brains  at 
Marengo,  I  cut  the  throats  of  persons  who  were 
confined  in  prison,  I  dragged  the  Pope  by  the 
hair  of  his  head,  and  a  hundred  similar  abomi- 
nations. And  yet  I  have  not  seen  one  of  those 
libels  which  is  worthy  of  an  answer.  These  are 
so  contemptible  and  so  absurdly  false,  that  they 
do  not  merit  any  other  notice  than  to  write 
false,  fake,  on  every  page." 

It  is  well  known,  by  every  one  acquainted 
with  the  past  history  of  our  country,  that  George 
Washington  was  assailed  in  the  severest  possi- 
ble language  of  vituperation.  He  was  charged 
with  military  inability,  administrative  incapac- 
ity, mental  weakness,  and  gross  personal  im. 
morality.  He  was  denounced  as  a  murderer. 


1799.J    HORTENSA  AND  DuRoc.          83 


The  voice  of  slander. 


and  a  hoary-headed  traitor.  This  is  the  doom 
of  those  in  power.  And  thousands  of  men  in 
those  days  believed  those  charges. 

It  is  seldom  possible  to  prove  a  negative. 
But  no  evidence  has  ever  been  brought  forward 
to  substantiate  the  rumors  brought  against  Hor- 
tense.  These  vile  slanderers  have  even  gone 
so  far  as  to  accuse  Napoleon  of  crimes,  in  refer- 
ence to  the  daughter  of  Josephine  and  the  wife 
of  his  brother,  which,  if  true,  should  consign 
him  to  eternal  infamy.  The  "  Berkeley  men," 
after  making  the  most  thorough  historic  inves- 
tigations in  writing  the  life  both  of  Louis  Bo- 
naparte and  Hortense,  say : 

"  Louis  was  a  little  over  twenty-three  years 
of  age  at  the  time  of  his  marriage.  Hortense 
was  nineteen.  In  his  memoirs  Louis  treats  with 
scorn  and  contempt  the  absurd  libels  respecting 
his  domestic  affairs,  involving  the  purity  of  his 
wife's  character  and  the  legitimacy  of  his  chil- 
dren. Napoleon,  also,  in  his  conversations  at 
St.  Helena,  thought  proper  to  allude  to  the  sub- 
ject, and  indignantly  to  repel  the  charges  which 
had  been  made  against  Hortense,  at  the  same 
time  showing  the  entire  improbability  of  the 
Btories  about  her  and  her  offspring.  We  have 
found  nothing,  in  our  investigations  on  this  sub- 


84  HORTENSE.  [1799. 

Testimony  of  the  Duchess  of  Abrantes. 

ject  to  justify  even  a  suspicion  against  tfie  morals 
or  integrity  of  Louis  or  Hortense;  and  we  here 
dismiss  the  subject  with  the  remark  that  there  is 
more  cause  for  sympathy  with  the  parties  to  this 
unhappy  union  than  of  censure  for  their  con- 
duct." 

The  Duchess  of  Abrantes,  who  was  intimate- 
ly acquainted  with  Hortense  from  her  child- 
hood and  with  the  whole  Bonaparte  family,  in 
her  interesting  memoirs  writes :  "  Hortense  de 
Beauharnais  was  fresh  as  a  rose;  and  though 
her  fair  complexion  was  not  relieved  by  much 
color,  she  had  enough  to  produce  that  freshness 
and  bloom  which  was  her  chief  beauty.  A 
profusion  of  light  hair  played  in  silky  locks 
round  her  soft  and  penetrating  blue  eyes.  The 
delicate  roundness  of  her  slender  figure  was  set 
off  by  the  elegant  carriage  of  her  head.  Her 
feet  were  small  and  pretty,  her  hands  very 
white,  with  pink,  well-rounded  nails.  But 
what  formed  the  chief  attraction  of  Hortense 
was  the  grace  and  suavity  of  her  manners. 
She  was  gay,  gentle,  amiable.  She  had  wit 
which,  without  the  smallest  ill-temper,  had  just 
malice  enough  to  be  amusing.  A  polished 
education  had  improved  her  natural  talents. 
She  drew  excellently,  sang  harmoniously,  and 


1799.]      HORTENSE    AND    DUROC.  85 


Portrait  of  Hortense. 


performed  admirably  in  comedy.  In  1800  she 
tfas  a  charming  young  girl.  She  afterwards 
became  one  of  the  most  amiable  princesses  in 
Europe.  I  have  seen  many,  both  in  their  own 
courts  and  in  Paris,  but  I  have  never  known 
one  who  had  any  pretensions  to  equal  talenta 
Her  brother  loved  her  tenderly.  The  First 
Consul  looked  upon  her  as  his  child.  And  it 
is  only  in  that  country  so  fertile  in  the  inven- 
tions of  scandal,  that  so  foolish  an  accusation 
could  have  been  imagined,  as  that  any  feeling 
less  pure  than  paternal  affection  actuated  his 
conduct  towards  her.  The  vile  calumny  met 
the  contempt  it  merited." 

The  testimony  of  Bourrienne  upon  this  point 
is  decisive.  Bourrienne  had  been  the  private 
secretary  of  Napoleon,  had  become  his  enemy, 
and  had  joined  the  Bourbons.  Upon  the  down- 
fall of  the  Emperor  he  wrote  a  very  hostile  life 
of  Napoleon,  being  then  in  the  employment  of 
the  Bourbons.  In  those  envenomed  pages, 
Bourrienne  says  that  he  has  written  severely 
enough  against  Napoleon,  to  have  his  word  be 
lieved  when  he  makes  any  admission  in  his  fa 
vor.  He  then  writes: 

"Napoleon  never  cherished  for  Hortense 
any  feeling  but  a  real  paternal  tenderness.  He 


86  HORTENSE.  [1799. 

Testimony  of  Bourrienne. 

loved  her,  after  his  marriage  with  her  mother,  as 
he  would  have  loved  his  own  child.  For  three 
years  at  least  I  was  witness  to  all  their  most 
private  actions.  I  declare  that  I  never  saw  any 
thing  which  could  furnish  the  least  ground  for 
suspicion  or  the  slightest  trace  of  culpable  inti- 
macy. This  calumny  must  be  classed  with 
those  which  malice  delights  to  take  with  the 
character  of  men  who  become  celebrated ;  cal- 
umnies which  are  adopted  lightly  and  without 
reflection. 

"  I  freely  declare  that,  did  I  retain  the  slight- 
est doubt  with  regard  to  this  odious  charge,  I 
would  avow  it.  But  it  is  not  true.  Napoleon 
is  no  more.  Let  his  memory  be  accompanied 
only  by  that,  be  it  good  or  bad,  which  really 
took  place.  Let  not  this  complaint  be  made 
against  him  by  the  impartial  historian.  I  must 
say,  in  conclusion,  on  this  delicate  subject,  that 
Napoleon's  principles  were  rigid  in  the  extreme ; 
and  that  any  fault  of  the  nature  charged  nei- 
ther entered  his  mind,  nor  was  in  accordance 
with  his  morals  or  taste." 

Notwithstanding  this  abundant  testimony, 
and  notwithstanding  the  fact  that  no  contradic- 
tory testimony  can  be  adduced,  which  any  his- 
torian could  be  pardoned  for  treating  with  re- 


1800.]      HORTENSE    AND    DlJROC.  87 


Napoleon  at  the  Tuileries. 


spect,  there  are  still  men  to  be  found  who  will 
repeat  those  foul  slanders,  which  ought  long 
since  to  have  died  away. 

Napoleon  remained  but  two  months  in  the 
palace  of  the  Luxembourg.  In  the  mean  time 
the  palace  of  the  Tuileries,  which  had  been  sack- 
ed by  revolutionary  mobs,  was  re-furnished  with 
much  splendor.  In  February  the  Court  of  the 
Consuls  was  transferred  to  the  Tuileries.  Na- 
poleon had  so  entirely  eclipsed  his  colleagues 
that  he  alone  was  thought  of  by  the  Parisian 
populace.  The  royal  apartments  were  prepared 
for  Napoleon.  The  more  humble  apartments, 
in  the  Pavilion  of  Flora,  were  assigned  to  the 
two  other  consuls.  The  transfer  from  the  Lux- 
embourg was  made  with  great  pomp,  in  one  of 
those  brilliant  parades  which  ever  delight  the 
eyes  of  the  Parisians.  Six  thousand  picked 
soldiers,  with  a  gorgeous  train  of  officers,  form- 
ed his  escort.  Twenty  thousand  troops  with 
all  the  concomitants  of  military  parade,  lined 
the  streets.  A  throng,  from  city  and  country, 
which  could  not  be  numbered,  gazed  upon  the 
scene.  Napoleon  took  his  seat  in  a  magnificent 
carriage  drawn  by  six  beautiful  white  horses. 
The  suite  of  rooms  assigned  to  Josephine  con- 
sisted of  two  large  parlors  furnished  with  regal 


88  HORTENSE.  [1800. 


Beauty  of  Josephine. 


splendor,  and  several  adjoining  private  rooms 
Here  Hortense,  a  beautiful  girl  of  about  eighteen, 
found  herself  at  home  in  the  apartments  of  the 
ancient  kings  of  France. 

In  the  evening  a  brilliant  assembly  was 
gathered  in  the  saloons  of  Josephine.  As  she 
entered,  with  queenly  grace,  leaning  upon  the 
arm  of  Talleyrand,  a  murmur  of  admiration 
rose  from  the  whole  multitude.  She  wore  a 
robe  of  white  muslin.  Her  hair  fell  in  ringlets 
upon  her  neck  and  shoulders,  through  which 
gleamed  a  necklace  of  priceless  pearls.  The 
festivities  were  protracted  until  a  late  hour  in 
the  morning.  It  was  said  that  Josephine  gain- 
ed a  social  victory  that  evening,  corresponding 
with  that  which  Napoleon  had  gained  in  the 
pageant  of  the  day.  In  these  scenes  Hortense 
shone  with  great  brilliance.  She  was  young, 
beautiful,  graceful,  amiable,  witty,  and  very 
highly  accomplished.  In  addition  to  this,  she 
was  the  stepdaughter  of  the  First  Consul,  who 
was  ascending  in  a  career  of  grandeur  which 
was  to  terminate  no  one  could  tell  where. 

During  Napoleon's  absence  in  Egypt  Jose- 
phine had  purchased  the  beautiful  estate  of 
Malmaison.  This  was  their  favorite  home. 
The  chateau  was  a  very  convenient,  attractive, 


1800.]      HORTENSE    AND     DlJROC.  89 


Malmaison. 


but  not  very  spacious  rural  edifice,  surrounded 
with  extensive  grounds,  ornamented  with  lawns, 
shrubbery,  and  forest-trees.  With  the  Tuile- 
ries  for  her  city  residence,  Malmaison  for  her 
rural  retreat,  Napoleon  for  her  father,  Jose- 
phine for  her  mother,  Eugene  for  her  brother ; 
with  the  richest  endowments  of  person,  mind, 
and  heart,  with  glowing  health,  and  surrounded 
by  admirers,  Hortense  seemed  now  to  be  placed 
upon  the  very  highest  pinnacle  of  earthly  hap- 
piness. 

Josephine  and  Hortense  resided  at  Malmaison 
when  Napoleon  made  his  ten  months'  campaign 
into  Italy,  which  was  terminated  by  the  victory 
of  Ma'rengo.  They  both  busily  employed  their 
time  in  making  those  improvements  on  the 
place  which  would  create  a  pleasant  surprise  for 
Napoleon  on  his  return.  Here  they  opened  a 
new  path  through  the  forest ;  here  they  spanned 
a  stream  with  a  beautiful  rustic  bridge ;  upon 
a  gentle  eminence  a  pavilion  rose;  and  new 
parterres  of  flowers  gladdened  the  eye.  Every 
charm  was  thrown  around  the  place  which  the 
genius  and  taste  of  Josephine  and  Hortense 
could  suggest.  At  midnight,  on  the  second  of 
July,  Napoleon  returned  to  Paris,  and  immedi- 
ately hastened  to  the  arms  of  his  wife  and 


90  HORTENSE.  [1800. 

Remarkable  testimony  of  Napoleon. 

daughter  at  Malmaison.  He  was  so  pleased 
with  its  retirement  and  rural  beauty  that,  for- 
getting the  splendors  of  Fontainebleau  and 
Saint  Cloud,  he  ever  after  made  it  his  favorite 
residence.  Fortunate  is  the  tourist  who  can 
obtain  permission  to  saunter  through  those 
lovely  walks,  where  the  father,  the  wife,  and 
the  daughter,  for  a  few  brief  months,  walked 
almost  daily,  arm  in  arm,  in  the  enjoyment  of 
nearly  all  the  happiness  which  they  were  des- 
tined on  earth  to  share.  The  Emperor,  at  the 
close  of  his  career,  said  upon  his  dying  bed  at 
St.  Helena, 

"  I  am  indebted  for  all  the  little  happiness 
I  have  enjoyed  on  earth  to  the  love  of  Jose- 
phine." 

Hortense  and  her  mother  frequently  rode  on 
horseback,  both  being  very  graceful  riders,  and 
very  fond  of  that  recreation.  At  moments 
when  Napoleon  could  unbend  from  the  cares 
of  state,  the  family  amused  themselves,  with 
such  guests  as  were  present,  in  the  game  of 
"prisoners"  on  the  lawn.  For  several  years 
this  continued  to  be  the  favorite  pastime  at 
Malmaison.  Kings  and  queens  were  often 
seen  among  the  pursuers  and  the  pursued  on 
the  green  sward. 


1800.]      HORTENSE    AND    DUROC.  91 


The  infernal  machine. 


It  was  observed  that  Napoleon  was  always 
solicitous  to  have  Josephine  on  his  side.  And 
whenever,  in  the  progress  of  the  game,  she  was 
taken  prisoner,  he  was  nervously  anxious  until 
ahe  was  rescued.  Napoleon,  who  had  almost 
lived  upon  horseback,  was  a  poor  runner,  and 
would  often,  in  his  eagerness,  fall,  rolling  head- 
long over  the  grass,  raising  shouts  of  laughter. 
Josephine  and  Hortense  were  as  agile  as  they 
were  graceful. 

On  the  24th  of  December,  1800,  Napoleon, 
Josephine,  and  Hortense  were  going  to  the  op- 
era, to  hear  Haydn's  Oratorio  of  the  Creation. 
It  was  then  to  be  performed  for  the  first  time. 
Napoleon,  busily  engaged  in  business,  went 
reluctantly  at  the  earnest  solicitation  of  Jose- 
phine. Three  gentlemen  rode  with  Napole- 
on in  his  carriage.  Josephine,  with  Hortense 
and  other  friends,  followed  in  her  private  car- 
riage. As  the  carriages  were  passing  through 
the  narrow  street  of  St.  Nicaire,  a  tremendous 
explosion  took  place,  which  was  heard  all  ovei 
Paris.  An  infernal  machine,  of  immense 
power,  had  been  conveyed  to  the  spot,  con- 
cealed beneath  a  cart,  which  was  intended,  at 
whatever  sacrifice  of  the  lives  of  others,  to  ren- 
der the  assassination  of  the  First  Consul  certain. 


92  HORTENSE.  [1800. 

The  royalist  conspiracy. 

Eight  persons  were  instantly  killed  ;  more  than 
sixty  were  wounded.  Several  buildings  were 
nearly  demolished.  The  windows  of  both  car- 
riages were  dashed  in,  and  the  shattered  vehi- 
cles were  tossed  to  and  fro  like  ships  in  a  storm. 
Napoleon  almost  miraculously  escaped  unharm- 
ed. Hortense  was  slightly  wounded  by  the 
broken  glass.  Still  they  all  heroically  went  on 
to  the  opera,  where,  in  view  of  their  providen- 
tial escape,  they  were  received  with  thunders  of 
applause. 

It  was  at  first  supposed  that  the  Jacobins 
were  the  authors  of  this  infamous  plot.  It  was 
afterwards  proved  to  be  a  conspiracy  of  the 
Royalists.  Josephine,  whose  husband  bad  bled 
beneath  the  slide  of  the  guillotine,  and  who  had 
narrowly  escaped  the  axe  herself,  with  charac- 
teristic humanity  forgot  the  peril  to  which  she 
and  her  friends  had  been  exposed,  in  sympathy 
for  those  who  were  to  suffer  for  the  crime.  The 
criminals  were  numerous.  They  were  the  no- 
bles with  whom  Josephine  had  formerly  lived 
in  terms  of  closest  intimacy.  She  wrote  to 
Fouch^,  the  Minister  of  Police,  in  behalf  of 
these  families  about  to  be  plunged  into  woe  by 
the  merited  punishment  of  the  conspirators. 
This  letter  reflects  such  light  upon  the  charac- 


1800.]      HORTENSE    AND    DlTROC.  93 


Letter  from  Josephine. 


ter  of  Josephine,  which  character  she  transmit- 
ted to  Hortense,  that  it  claims  insertion  here. 

"  CITIZEN  MINISTER, — While  I  yet  tremble 
at  the  frightful  event  which  has  just  occurred, 
I  am  disquieted  and  distressed  through  fear  of 
the  punishment  necessarily  to  be  inflicted  on 
the  guilty,  who  belong,  it  is  said,  to  families 
with  whom  I  once  lived  in  habits  of  intercourse. 
I  shall  be  solicited  by  mothers,  sisters,  and  dis- 
consolate wives,  and  my  heart  will  be  broken 
through  my  inability  to  obtain  all  the  mercy 
for  which  I  would  plead. 

"  I  know  that  the  clemency  of  the  First  Con- 
sul is  great;  his  attachment  to  me  extreme. 
But  the  crime  is  too  dreadful  that  a  terrible  ex- 
ample should  not  be  necessary.  The  chief  of 
the  Government  has  not  been  alone  exposed. 
It  is  that  which  will  render  him  severe,  inflexi- 
ble. I  conjure  you,  therefore,  to  do  all  in  your 
power  to  prevent  inquiries  being  pushed  too  far. 
Do  not  detect  all  those  persons  who  may  have 
been  accomplices  in  these  odious  transactions. 
Let  not  France,  so  long  overwhelmed  in  conster- 
nation by  publicexecutions,  groan  anew  beneath 
such  inflictions.  It  is  even  better  to  endeavor  to 
soothe  the  public  mind  than  to  exasperate  men 
by  fresh  terrors.  In  short,  when  the  ringlead- 


94  HORTENSE.  [1800. 


Letter  from  Josephine. 


ers  of  this  nefarious  attempt  shall  have  been 
secured,  let  severity  give  place  to  pity  for  in- 
ferior agents,  seduced,  as  they  may  have  been, 
by  dangerous  falsehoods  or  exaggerated  opin- 
ions. 

"When  just  invested  with  supreme  power, 
the  First  Consul,  as  seems  to  me,  ought  rather 
to  gain  hearts,  than  to  be  exhibited  as  ruling 
slaves.  Soften  by  your  counsels  whatever  may 
be  too  violent  in  his  just  resentment.  Punish 
— alas !  that  you  must  certainly  do — but  par- 
don still  more.  Be  also  the  support  of  those 
unfortunate  men  who,  by  frank  avowal  or  re- 
pentance, shall  expiate  a  portion  of  their  crime. 

"  Having  myself  narrowly  escaped  perishing 
in  the  Revolution,  you  must  regard  as  quite 
natural  my  interference  on  behalf  of  those  who 
can  be  saved  without  involving  in  new  danger 
the  life  of  my  husband,  precious  to  me  and  to 
France.  On  this  account  do,  I  entreat  you, 
make  a  wide  distinction  between  the  authors 
of  the  crime  and  those  who,  through  weakness 
or  fear,  have  consented  to  take  part  therein. 
As  a  woman,  a  wife,  a  mother,  I  must  feel  the 
heart-rendings  of  those  who  will  apply  to  me. 
Act,  citizen  minister,  in  such  a  manner  that 
the  number  of  these  may  be  lessened.  This 


1800.]      HORTENSE    AND    DUROC.  96 


Michel  Duroc. 


will  spare  me  much  grief.  Never  will  I  turn 
away  from  the  supplications  of  misfortune.  But 
in  the  present  instance  you  can  do  infinitely 
more  than  I,  and  you  will,  on  this  account,  ex- 
cuse my  importunity.  Rely  on  my  gratitude 
and  esteem." 

There  was  a  young  officer  about  twenty-nine 
years  of  age,  by  the  name  of  Michel  Duroc, 
who  was  then  a  frequent  visitor  at  the  Tuileries 
and  Malmaison.  He  was  a  great  favorite  of 
Napoleon,  and  was  distinguished  alike  for 
beauty  of  person  and  gallantry  upon  the  field 
of  battle.  Born  of  an  ancient  family,  young 
Duroc,  having  received  a  thorough  military  edu- 
cation, attached  himself,  with  enthusiastic  devo- 
tion, to  the  fortunes  of  Napoleon.  He  attracted 
the  attention  of  General  Bonaparte  during  his 
first  Italian  campaign,  where  he  was  appoint- 
ed one  of  his  aids.  Following  Napoleon  to 
Egypt,  he  gained  renown  in  many  battles,  and 
was  speedily  promoted  to  the  rank  of  chief  of 
battalion,  and  then  to  general  of  brigade.  At 
Jaffa  he  performed  a  deed  of  gallantry,  which 
was  rewarded  by  the  applauding  shouts  of 
nearly  the  whole  army.  At  Jean  d'Acre  he 
led  one  of  the  most  bloody  and  obstinate  as- 
saults recorded  in  the  military  annals  of  France, 


HORTENSE.  [1813v 


General  Duroc  at  Bautzen. 


where  he  was  severely  wounded  by  the  burst- 
ing of  a  howitzer.  At  the  battle  of  Aboukir 
he  won  great  applause.  Napoleon's  attachment 
to  this  young  officer  was  such,  that  he  took  him 
to  Paris  on  his  return  to  Egypt.  In  the  event- 
ful day  of  the  18th  Brurnaire,  Duroc  stood  by 
the  side  of  Napoleon,  and  rendered  him  em- 
inent service.  The  subsequent  career  of  this 
very  noble  young  man  brilliantly  reflects  his 
worth  and  character.  Eapidly  rising,  he  be- 
came grand  marshal  of  the  palace  and  Duke  of 
Friuli. 

The  memorable  career  of  General  Duroc  was 
terminated  at  the  battle  of  Bautzen,  in  Germa- 
ny, on  the  23d  of  May.  1813.  He  was  struck 
by  the  last  ball  thrown  from  the  batteries  of 
the  enemy.  The  affecting  scene  of  his  death 
was  as  follows ; 

"In  the  early  dawn  of  the  morning  of  the 
23d  of  May,  Napoleon  was  on  horseback  direct- 
ing the  movements  of  his  troops  against  the 
routed  foe.  He  soon  overtook  the  rear-guard 
of  the  enemy,  which  had  strongly  posted  its 
batteries  on  an  eminence  to  protect  the  retreat 
of  the  discomfited  army.  A  brief  but  fierce 
conflict  ensued,  and  one  of  Napoleon's  aids  was 
Btruck  dead  at  his  feet.  Duroc  was  riding  by 


1813.]      HORTENSE    AND    DUROC.  97 


Death  of  Duroc. 


the  side  of  the  Emperor.  Napoleon  turned  to 
him  and  said, '  Duroc,  fortune  is  determined  to 
have  one  of  us  to-day.'  Hour  after  hour  the  in- 
cessant battle  raged,  as  the  advance-guard  of  the 
Emperor  drove  before  it  the  rear-guard  of 
the  Allies.  In  the  afternoon,  as  the  Emperor, 
with  a  portion  of  the  Imperial  Guard,  four 
abreast,  was  passing  through  a  ravine,  envelop- 
ed in  a  blinding  cloud  of  dust  and  smoke,  a 
cannon-ball,  glancing  from  a  tree,  killed  one 
officer,  and  mortally  wounded  Duroc,  tearing 
out  his  entrails.  The  tumult  and  obscurity 
were  such  that  Napoleon  did  not  witness  the 
casualty.  When  informed  of  it,  he  seemed  for 
a  moment  overwhelmed  with  grief,  and  then 
exclaimed,  in  faltering  accents, 

"  Duroc  1  gracious  Heaven,  my  presenti- 
ments never  deceive  me.  This  is  a  sad  day,  a 
fatal  day." 

Immediately  alighting  from  his  horse,  he 
walked  to  and  fro  for  a  short  time  absorbed  in 
painful  thoughts,  while  the  thunders  of  the  bat- 
tle resounded  unheeded  around  him.  Then 
turning  to  Caulaincourt,  he  said, 

"Alas!  when  will  fate  relent?  When  will 
there  be  an  end  of  this?  My  eagles  will  yet 
triumph,  but  the  happiness  which  accompanies 

3—7 


98  HORTENSE.  [1818. 

Grief  of  Napoleon. 

them  is  fled.  Whither  has  he  been  conveyed? 
I  must  see  him.  Poor,  poor  Duroc !" 

The  Emperor  found  the  dying  marshal  in  a 
cottage,  still  stretched  upon  the  camp  litter  by 
which  he  had  been  conveyed  from  the  field. 
Pallid  as  marble  from  the  loss  of  bloocf,  and 
with  features  distorted  with  agony,  he  was 
scarcely  recognizable.  The  Emperor  approach- 
ed the  litter,  threw  his  arms  around  the  neck 
of  the  friend  he  so  tenderly  loved,  and  ex- 
claimed, in  tones  of  deepest  grief,  "  Alas !  then 
is  there  no  hope  ?" 

"  None  whatever,"  the  physicians  replied. 

The  dying  man  took  the  hand  of  Napoleon, 
and  gazing  upon  him  affectionately,  said,  "  Sire, 
my  whole  life  has  been  devoted  to  your  serv- 
ice, and  now  my  only  regret  is  that  I  can  no 
longer  be  useful  to  you."  Napoleon,  in  a  voice 
almost  inarticulate  with  emotion,  said, 

"Duroc,  there  is  another  life.  There  you 
will  await  me." 

"  Yes,  sire,"  the  marshal  faintly  replied,  "  but 
that  will  be  thirty  years  hence.  You  will  then 
have  triumphed  over  your  enemies,  and  real- 
ized the  hopes  of  our  country.  I  have  lived 
an  honest  man.  I  have  nothing  to  reproach 
myself  with.  I  have  a  daughter,  to  whom 
your  Majesty  will  be  a  father." 


1813.]      HORTENSE    AND    DUROC.  99 


Affecting  scene. 


Napoleon  was  so  deeply  affected  that  he  re- 
mained for  some  time  in  silence,  incapable  of 
uttering  a  word,  but  still  affectionately  holding 
the  hand  of  his  dying  friend. 

Duroc  was  the  first  to  break  the  silence. 
"  Sire,"  he  said,  "  this  sight  pains  you.  Leave 
me." 

The  Emperor  pressed  his  hand  to  his  lips, 
embraced  him  affectionately,  and  saying  sadly, 
"Adieu,  my  friend,"  hurried  out  of  the  room. 

Supported  by  Marshal  Soult  and  Caulain- 
court,  Napoleon,  overwhelmed  with  grief,  re 
tired  to  his  tent,  which  had  been  immediately 
pitched  in  the  vicinity  of  the  cottage.  "  This 
is  horrible/'  he  exclaimed.  "  My  excellent, 
my  dear  Duroc!  Oh,  what  a  loss  is  this!" 

His  eyes  were  flooded  with  tears,  and  for  the 
moment,  forgetting  every  thing  but  his  grief, 
he  retired  to  the  solitude  of  his  inner  tent. 

The  squares  of  the  Old  Guard,  sympathizing 
in  the  anguish  of  their  commander  and  their 
sovereign,  silently  encamped  around  him.  Na- 
poleon sat  alone  in  his  tent,  wrapped  in  his 
gray  great-coat,  his  forehead  resting  upon  his 
hand,  absorbed  in  painful  musings.  For  some 
time  none  of  his  officers  were  willing  to  intrude 
upon  his  grief.  At  length  two  of  the  generals 


100  HORTENSE.  [1813. 

Quotation  from  J.  T.  Headlejr. 

ventured  to  consult  him  respecting  arrange- 
ments which  it  seemed  necessary  to  make  for 
the  following  day.  Napoleon  shook  his  head 
and  replied,  "  Ask  me  nothing  till  to-morrow," 
and  again  covering  his  eyes  with  his  hand,  he 
resumed  his  attitude  of  meditation.  Night 
came.  One  by  one  the  stars  came  out.  The 
moon  rose  brilliantly  in  the  cloudless  sky. 
The  soldiers  moved  with  noiseless  footsteps,  and 
spoke  in  subdued  tones.  The  rumbling  of 
wagons  and  the  occasional  boom  of  a  distant 
gun  alone  disturbed  the  stillness  of  the  scene. 

"  Those  brave  soldiers,"  says  J.  T.  Headley, 
'filled  with  grief  to  see  their  beloved  chief 
bowed  down  by  such  sorrows,  stood  for  a  long 
time  silent  and  tearful.  At  length,  to  break 
the  mournful  silence,  and  to  express  the  sym- 
pathy they  might  not  speak,  the  band  struck 
up  a  requiem  for  the  dying  marshal.  The 
melancholy  strains  arose  and  fell  in  prolonged 
echoes  over  the  field,  and  swept  in  softened 
cadences  on  the  ear  of  the  fainting,  dying 
warrior.  But  still  Napoleon  moved  not.  They 
changed  the  measure  to  a  triumphant  strain, 
and  the  thrilling  trumpets  breathed  forth  their 
most  joyful  notes  till  the  heavens  rang  with  the 
melody.  Such  bursts  of  music  welcomed  Na- 


1804]      HORTENSE     AND    DUROC.  101 


Denth  of  Duroc. 


poleon  as  he  returned,  flushed  with  victory,  till 
his  eye  kindled  with  exultation.  But  now 
they  fell  on  a  dull  and  listless  ear.  It  ceased, 
and  again  the  mournful  requiem  filled  all  the 
air.  But  nothing  could  rouse  him  from  his  ag- 
onizing reflections.  His  friend  lay  dying,  and 
the  heart  that  he  loved  more  than  his  life  was 
throbbing  its  last  pulsations.  What  a  theme 
for  a  painter,  and  what  a  eulogy  was  that 
scene !  That  noble  heart,  which  the  enmity  of 
the  world  could  not  shake,  nor  the  terrors  of 
the  battle-field  move  from  its  calm  repose,  nor 
even  the  hatred  nor  the  insults  of  his  at  last  vic- 
torious enemies  humble,  here  sank  in  the  mo- 
ment of  victory  before  the  tide  of  affection. 
What  military  chieftain  ever  mourned  thus  on 
the  field  of  victory,  and  what  soldiers  ever 
loved  their  leader  so !" 

Before  the  dawn  of  the  morning  Duroc  ex- 
pired. When  the  event  was  announced  to 
Napoleon,  he  said  sadly,  "All  is  over.  He  is 
released  from  his  misery.  Well,  he  is  happier 
than  I."  The  Emperor  ordered  a  monument 
to  be  reared  to  his  memory,  and,  when  after- 
wards dying  at  St.  Helena,  left  to  the  daugh- 
ter of  Duroc  one  of  the  largest  legacies  be- 
queathed in  his  will.  That  Duroc  was  worthy 


102  HOBTENSE.  [1804. 

Character  of  Duroc.  . 

of  this  warm  affection  of  the  Emperor,  may  be 
inferred  from  the  following  testimony  of  Cau- 
laincourt,  Duke  of  Vicenza: 

'  Marshal  Duroc  was  one  of  those  men  who 
se  ji  too  pure  and  perfect  for  this  world,  and 
whose  excellence  helps  to  reconcile  us  to  hu- 
man nature.  In  the  high  station  to  which  the 
Emperor  had  wisely  raised  him,  the  grand 
marshal  retained  all  the  qualities  of  the  private 
citizen.  The  splendor  of  his  position  had  not 
power  to  dazzle  or  corrupt  him.  Duroc  re- 
mained simple,  natural,  and  independent;  a 
warm  and  generous  friend,  a  just  and  honora- 
ble man.  I  pronounce  on  him  this  eulogy  with- 
out fear  of  contradiction." 

It  is  not  strange  that  Hortense,  a  beautiful 
girl  of  eighteen,  should  have  fallen  deeply  in 
love  with  such  a  young  soldier,  twenty-nine 
years  of  age.  It  would  seem  that  Duroc  was 
equally  inspired  with  love  and  admiration  for 
Hortense.  Though  perhaps  not  positively  en- 
gaged, there  was  such  an  understanding  be- 
tween the  young  lovers  that  a  brisk  corre- 
spondence was  kept  up  during  one  of  Duroc's 
embassies  to  the  north. 

Bourrienne,  at  that  time  the  private  secreta 
ry  of  Napoleon,  says  that  this  correspondence 


THE   LOVE-LETTER. 


1804.]      HORTENSE    AND    DUROC.  105 


Family  complications. 


was  carried  on  by  consent  through  his  hands. 
With  the  rapidly  rising  greatness  of  the  family, 
there  was  little  retirement  to  be  enjoyed  at  the 
Tuileries  or  at  Malmaison.  The  saloons  of  the 
First  Consul  were  every  evening  crowded 
with  guests.  Youthful  love  is  the  same  pas- 
sion, and  the  young  heart  throbs  with  the  same 
impulses,  whether  in  the  palace  or  in  the  cottage. 
When  Bourrienne  whispered  to  Hortense  that 
he  had  a  letter  for  her  from  Duroc,  and  slipped 
it  unperceived  into  her  hand,  she  would  imme- 
diately retire  to  her  room  for  its  perusal ;  and 
the  moistened  eyes  with  which  she  returned  to 
ihe  saloon  testified  to  the  emotions  with  which 
the  epistle  from  her  lover  had  been  read. 

But  Josephine  had  the  strongest  reasons 
which  can  well  be  imagined  for  opposing  the 
connection  with  Duroc.  She  was  a  very  lov- 
ing mother.  She  wished  to  do  every  thing  in 
her  power  to  promote  the  happiness  of  Hor- 
tense, but  she  probably  was  not  aware  how 
deeply  the  affections  of  her  daughter  were  fix- 
ed upon  Duroc.  Her  knowledge  of  the  world 
also  taught  her  that  almost  every  young  lady 
and  every  young  gentleman  have  several  loves 
before  reaching  the  one  which  is  consummated 
by  marriage.  She  had  another  match  in  view 


106  HORTENSE.  [1804. 

The  divorce  suggested. 

for  Hortense  which  she  deemed  far  more  eligi- 
ble for  her,  and  far  more  promotive  of  the  hap- 
piness of  the  family. 

Napoleon  had  already  attained  grandeur  un- 
surpassed by  any  of  the  ancient  kings  of 
France.  Visions  of  still  greater  power  were 
opening  before  him.  It  was  not  only  to  him 
a  bitter  disappointment  but  apparently  it  might 
prove  a  great  national  calamity  that  he  had  no 
heir  to  whom  he  could  transmit  the  sceptre 
which  France  had  placed  in  his  hands.  Upon 
his  downfall,  civil  war  might  ravage  the  king- 
dom, as  rival  chieftains  grasped  at  the  crown. 
It  was  earnestly  urged  upon  him  that  the  in- 
terests of  France  imperiously  demanded  that, 
since  he  had  no  prospect  of  an  heir  by  Jose- 
phine, he  should  obtain  a  divorce  and  marry 
another.  It  was  urged  that  the  welfare  of 
thirty  millions  of  people  should  not  be  sacri- 
ficed to  the  inclinations  of  two  individuals. 

Josephine  had  heard  these  rumors,  and  her 
life  was  embittered  by  their  terrible  import 
A  pall  of  gloom  shrouded  her  sky,  and  anguish 
began  to  gnaw  at  her  heart  amidst  all  the  splen- 
dors of  the  Tuileries  and  the  lovely  retirement 
of  Malmaison. 

Napoleon's  younger  brother,  Louis,  was  of 


1804.]      HORTENSE    AND    DlJROC.  107 


Character  of  Louis  Honapane. 


nearly  the  same  age  with  Hortense.  He  was  a 
young  man  of  fine  personal  appearance,  very 
intelligent,  of  scholarly  tastes,  and  of  irre- 
proachable character.  Though  pensive  in  tem- 
perament, he  had  proved  himself  a  hero  on  the 
field  of  battle,  and  he  possessed,  in  all  respects, 
a  very  noble  character.  Many  of  the  letters 
which  he  had  written  from  Egypt  to  his  friends 
in  Paris  had  been  intercepted  by  the  British 
cruisers,  and  were  published.  They  all  bore 
the  impress  of  the  lofty  spirit  of  integrity  and 
humanity  with  which  he  was  inspired.  Napo- 
leon was  very  fond  of  his  brother  Louis.  He 
would  surely  place  him  in  the  highest  positions 
of  wealth  and  power.  As  Louis  Bonaparte 
was  remarkably  domestic  in  his  tastes  and  af- 
fectionate in  his  disposition,  Josephine  could 
not  doubt  that  he  would  make  Hortense  hap- 
py. Apparently  it  was  a  match  full  of  prom« 
ise,  brilliant,  and  in  all  respects  desirable.  Its 
crowning  excellence,  however,  in  the  ey§  of 
Josephine  was,  that  should  Hortense  marry 
Louis  Bonaparte  and  give  birth  to  a  son,  Na- 
poleon would  recognize  that  child  as  his  heir. 
Bearing  the  name  of  Bonaparte,  with  the  blood 
of  the  Bonapartes  in  his  veins,  and  being  the 
child  of  Hortense,  whom  he  so  tenderly  loved 


108  HORTENSE.  [1804 

Testimony  of  Bourrienne. 

as  a  daughter,  the  desires  of  Napoleon  and  of 
France  might  be  satisfied.  Thus  the  terrible 
divorce  might  be  averted. 

It  is  not  probable  that  at  this  time  Napoleon 
seriously  thought  of  a  divorce,  though  the  air 
was  filled  with  rumors  put  in  circulation  by 
those  who  were  endeavoring  to  crowd  him  to 
it.  He  loved  Josephine  tenderly,  and  of  course 
could  not  sympathize  with  her  in  those  fears 
of  which  it  was  impossible  for  her  to  speak  to 
him.  Bourrienne  testifies  that  Josephine  one 
day  said  to  him  in  confidence,  veiling  and  at 
the  same  time  revealing  her  fears,  "This  pro- 
jected marriage  with  Duroc  leaves  me  with- 
out support.  Duroc,  independent  of  Bona- 
parte's friendship,  is  nothing.  He  has  neither 
fortune,  rank,  nor  even  reputation.  He  can 
afford  me  no  protection  against  the  enmity  of 
the  brothers.  I  must  have  some  more  certain 
reliance  for  the  future.  My  husband  loves 
Louis  very  much.  If  I  can  succeed  in  uniting 
my  daughter  to  him,  he  will  prove  a  strong 
counterpoise  to  the  calumnies  and  persecutions 
of  my  brothers-in-law." 

These  remarks  were  repeated  to  Napoleon. 
According  to  Bourrienne,  he  replied, 

"Josephine  labors  in  vain.    Duroc  and 


1804.]      IlORTEFSE    AND    DUROC.  109 


Disappointed  lovers. 


tense  love  each  other,  and  they  shall  be  mar- 
ried. I  am  attached  to  Duroc.  He  is  well 
born.  I  have  given  Caroline  to  Murat,  and 
Pauline  to  Le  Clerc.  I  can  as  well  give  Hor- 
tense  to  Duroc.  He  is  as  good  as  the  others. 
He  is  general  of  division.  Besides,  I  have 
other  views  for  Louis." 

Josephine,  however,  soon  won  the  assent  of 
Napoleon  to  her  views,  and  he  regarded  with 
great  satisfaction  the  union  of  Hortense  with 
Louis.  The  contemplated  connection  with 
Duroc  was  broken  off.  Two  young  hearts 
were  thus  crushed,  with  cruelty  quite  uninten- 
tional. Duroc  was  soon  after  married  to  an 
heiress,  who  brought  him  a  large  fortune,  and, 
it  is  said,  a  haughty  spirit  and  an  irritable  tem- 
per, which  embittered  all  his  days. 

Hortense,  disappointed,  heart-broken,  de- 
spairing, was  weary  of  the  world.  She  proba- 
bly never  saw  another  happy  day.  Such  is 
life. 

"Sorrows  ar<?  for  the  sons  of  men, 

And  weeping  for  earth's  daugnters.* 


110  HORTENSE.  [1804 


Stephanie  Beanharnais. 


CHAPTER  IV. 
THE  MARRIAGE  OF  HORTENSE. 

IT  will  be  remembered  that  Hortense  had  a 
cousin,  Stephanie,  the  daughter  of  her  fa- 
ther's elder  brother,  Marquis  de  Beauharnais. 
Though  Viscount  de  Beauharnais  had  es- 
poused the  popular  cause  in  the  desperate 
struggle  of  the  French  Revolution,  the  mar- 
quis was  an  undisguised  "  aristocrat."  Ally- 
ing himself  with  the  king  and  the  court,  he 
had  fled  from  France  with  the  emigrant  no- 
bles. He  had  joined  the  allied  army  as  it  was 
marching  upon  his  native  land  in  the  endeavor 
to  crush  out  popular  liberty  and  to  reinstate 
the  Bourbons  on  their  throne  of  despotism. 
For  this  crime  he  was  by  the  laws  of  France  a 
traitor,  doomed  to  the  scaffold  should  he  be 
captured. 

The  marquis,  in  his  flight  from  France,  had 
left  Stephanie  with  her  aunt  Josephine.  She 
had  sent  her  to  the  school  of  Madame  Campan 
in  company  with  Hortense  and  Caroline  Bona- 


1804.]    MARRIAGE  OF  HORTENSE.     Ill 

Love  of  Louis  Bonaparte  for  Stephanie. 

parte.  Louis  Bonaparte  was  consequently  oft- 
en in  the  company  of  Stephanie,  and  fell  des- 
perately in  love  with  her.  The  reader  will 
recollect  the  letter  which  Josephine  wrote  to 
Madame  Campan  relative  to  Stephanie,  which 
indicated  that  she  had  some  serious  defects  of 
character.  Still  she  was  a  brilliant  girl,  with 
great  powers  of  pleasing  when  she  condescend- 
ed to  use  those  powers. 

Louis  Bonaparte  was  a  very  pensive,  medi- 
tative young  man,  of  poetic  temperament,  and 
of  unsullied  purity  of  character.  With  such 
persons  love  ever  becomes  an  all-absorbing  pas- 
sion. It  has  been  well  said  that  love  is  repre- 
sented as  a  little  Cupid  shooting  tiny  arrows, 
whereas  it  should  be  presented  as  a  giant  shak- 
ing the  world.  The  secrets  of  the  heart  are 
seldom  revealed  to  others.  Neither  Napoleon 
nor  Josephine  were  probably  at  all  aware  how 
intense  and  engrossing  was  the  affection  of 
touis  for  Stephanie. 

Regenerated  France  was  then  struggling, 
with  all  its  concentrated  energies,  against  the 
combined  aristocracies  of  Europe.  Napoleou 
was  the  leader  of  the  popular  party.  The  fa- 
ther of  Stephanie  was  in  the  counsels  and  the 
army  of  the  Allies.  Already  advances  had 


112  HORTENSE.  [1804 

Objections  to  the  marriage. 

been  made  to  Napoleon,  and  immense  bribes 
offered  to  induce  him,  in  treachery  to  the  peo- 
ple, to  restore  to  the  exiled  Bourbons  the 
sceptre  which  the  confiding  people  had  placed 
in  his  hands.  Napoleon,  like  all  men  in  pow- 
er, had  bitter  enemies,  who  were  ever  watch- 
ing for  an  opportunity  to  assail  him.  Should 
his  brother  Louis  marry  a  daughter  of  one  of 
the  old  nobility,  an  avowed  aristocrat,  an  emi- 
grant, a  pronounced  "  traitor,"  doomed  to  death, 
should  he  be  captured,  for  waging  war  against 
his  native  land,  it  would  expose  Napoleon  to 
suspicion.  His  enemies  would  have  new  van- 
tage-ground from  which  to  attack  him,  and  in 
the  most  tender  point. 

Under  these  circumstances  Napoleon  con- 
templated with  well-founded  anxiety  the  idea 
of  his  brother's  union  with  Stephanie.  He  was 
therefore  the  more  ready  to  listen  to  Jose- 
phine's suggestion  of  the  marriage  of  Louis 
and  Hortense.  This  union  in  every  respect 
seemed  exceedingly  desirable.  Napoleon  could 
gratify  their  highest  ambition  in  assigning  to 
them  posts  of  opulence  and  honor.  They 
could  also  be  of  great  service  to  Napoleon  in 
his  majestic  plan  of  redeeming  all  Europe  from 
the  yoke  of  the  old  feudal  despotisms,  and  in 


1804.]    MARRIAGE  OF  HORTENSE.     113 


Unavailing  remonstrances. 


conferring  upon  the  peoples  the  new  political 
gospel  of  equal  rights  for  all  men. 

Napoleon  had  perceived  this  growing  attach- 
ment just  before  he  set  out  on  the  expedition 
to  Egypt.  To  check  it,  if  possible,  he  sent 
Louis  on  a  very  important  mission  to  Toulon, 
where  he  kept  him  intensely  occupied  until 
he  was  summoned  to  embark  for  Egypt.  But 
such  love  as  animated  the  heart  of  Louis  is 
deepened,  not  diminished,  by  absence.  A  na- 
val officer,  who  was  a  friend  of  Louis,  and  who 
was  aware  of  his  attachment  for  Stephanie,  re- 
monstrated with  him  against  a  connection  so 
injudicious. 

"  Do  you  know,"  said  he,  "  that  a  marriage 
of  this  description  might  be  highly  injurious 
to  your  brother,  and  render  him  an  object  of 
suspicion  to  the  Government,  and  that,  too,  at 
a  moment  when  he  is  setting  out  on  a  hazard- 
ous expedition  ?" 

But  Louis  was  in  no  mood  to  listen  to  such 
suggestions.  It  would  appear  that  Stephanie 
was  a  young  lady  who  could  very  easily  trans- 
fer her  affections.  During  the  absence  of 
Louis  a  match  was  arranged  between  Stepha- 
nie and  the  Duke  of  Baden.  The  heart  of 
Louis  was  hopelessly  crushed.  He  never  re- 

3—8 


114  HORTENSE.  [1804 

Marriage  of  Hortense. 

covered  from  the  blow.  These  were  the  two 
saddened  hearts,  to  whom  the  world  was 
shrouded  in  gloom,  which  met  amidst  the 
splendors  of  the  Tuileries. 

The  genius  of  Napoleon  and  the  tact  of  Jo- 
sephine were  combined  to  unite  in  marriage 
the  disappointed  and  despairing  lovers,  Louis 
and  Hortense.  After  a  brief  struggle,  they 
both  sadly  submitted  to  their  fate.  The  mel- 
ancholy marriage  scene  is  minutely  described 
by  Constant,  one  of  the  officers  in  the  house- 
hold of  Napoleon.  The  occasion  was  invest- 
ed with  all  possible  splendor.  A  brilliant  as- 
sembly attended.  But  as  Louis  led  his  beau- 
tiful bride  to  the  altar,  the  deepest  dejection 
marked  his  countenance.  Hortense  buried  her 
eyes  in  her  handkerchief  and  wept  bitterly. 

From  that  hour  the  alienation  commenced. 
The  grief-stricken  bride,  young,  inexperienced, 
impulsive,  made  no  attempt  to  conceal  the  re- 
pugnance with  which  she  regarded  the  hus- 
band who  had  been  forced  upon  her.  On  the 
other  hand,  Louis  had  too  much  pride  to  pur- 
sue with  his  attentions  a  bride  whom  he  had 
reluctantly  received,  and  who  openly  mani- 
fested her  aversion  to  him.  Josephine  was 
very  sad.  Her  maternal  instincts  revealed  to 


1804.]    MARRIAGE  OF  HORTENSE.     115 


Testimony  of  Louis  Bonaparte. 


her  the  true  state  of  the  case.  Conscious  that 
the  union,  which  had  so  in  auspiciously  com- 
menced, had  been  brought  about  bj  her,  she 
exerted  all  her  powers  to  promote  friendly  re- 
lations between  the  parties.  But  her  counsels 
and  her  prayers  were  alike  in  vain.  Louis 
Bonaparte,  in  his  melancholy  autobiography, 
writes : 

"  Never  was  there  a  more  gloomy  wedding. 
Never  had  husband  and  wife  a  stronger  pre- 
sentiment of  a  forced  and  ill-suited  marriage. 
Before  the  ceremony,  during  the  benediction, 
and  ever  afterwards,  we  both  and  equally  felt 
that  we  were  not  suited  to  each  other." 

"  I  have  seen,''  writes  Constant,  "  a  hundred 
times  Madame  Louis  Bonaparte  seek  the  soli- 
tude of  her  apartment  and  the  bosom  of  a 
friend,  there  to  shed  her  tears.  She  would 
often  escape  from  her  husband  in  the  midst  of 
the  saloon  of  the  First  Consul,  where  one  saw 
with  chagrin  this  young  woman,  formerly  glit- 
tering in  beauty,  and  who  gracefully  perform- 
ed the  honors  of  the  palace,  retire  into  a  corner 
or  into  the  embrasure  of  a  window,  with  some 
one  of  her  intimate  friends,  sadly  to  confide 
her  griefs.  During  this  interview,  from  which 
she  would  return  with  her  eyes  red  and  flood- 


116  HORTENSE.  [1804. 

Statement  of  Napoleon. 

ed,  her  husband  would   remain  pensive  and 
silent  at  the  end  of  the  saloon. 

Napoleon  at  St.  Helena,  referring  to  this  pain- 
ful subject,  said:  "Louis  had  been  spoiled 
by  reading  the  works  of  Eousseau.  He  con« 
trived  to  agree  with  his  wife  only  for  a  few 
months.  There  were  faults  on  both  sides. 
On  the  one  hand,  Louis  was  too  teasing  in 
his  temper,  and,  on  the  other,  Hortense  was  too 
volatile.  Hortense,  the  devoted,  the  generous 
Hortense,  was  not  entirely  faultless  in  her  con- 
duct towards  her  husband.  This  I  must  ac- 
knowledge, in  spite  of  all  the  affection  I  bore 
her,  and  the  sincere  attachment  which  I  am 
sure  she  entertained  for  me.  Though  Louis's 
whimsical  humors  were  in  all  probability  suf- 
ficiently teasing,  yet  he  loved  Hortense.  In 
such  a  case  a  woman  should  learn  to  subdue 
her  own  temper,  and  endeavor  to  return  hei 
husband's  attachment.  Had  she  acted  in  the 
way  most  conducive  to  her  interest,  she  might 
have  avoided  her  late  lawsuit,  secured  happi- 
ness to  herself  and  followed  her  husband  to 
Holland.  Louis  would  not  then  have  fled 
from  Amsterdam,  and  I  should  not  have  been 
compelled  to  unite  his  kingdom  to  mine — a 
measure  which  contributed  to  ruin  my  credit 


1804.]    MARRIAGE  or  HORTENSE.     117 


Letter  from  Josephine  to  Hoi-tense. 


in  Europe^  Many  other  events  might  also 
have  taken  a  different  turn.  Perhaps  an  ex- 
cuse might  be  found  for  the  caprice  of  Louis's' 
disposition  in  the  deplorable  state  of  hi& 
health." 

The  following  admirable  letter  from  Jose- 
phine to  Hortense  throws  additional  light 
upon  this  unhappy  union: 

"  I  was  deeply  grieved  at  what  I  heard  a 
few  days  ago.  What  I  saw  yesterday  confirms 
and  increases  my  distress.  Why  show  this  re- 
pugnance to  Louis  ?  Instead  of  rendering  it 
the  more  annoying,  by  caprice  and  inequality 
of  temper,  why  not  endeavor  to  surmount  it? 
You  say  he  is  not  amiable.  Every  thing  is 
relative.  If  he  is  not  so  to  you,  he  may  be  to 
others,  and  all  women  do  not  see  him  through 
the  veil  of  dislike.  As  for  myself,  who  am 
here  altogether  disinterested,  I  imagine  that  I 
behold  him  as  he  is — more  loving,  doubtless, 
than  lovable.  But  this  is  a  great  and  rare 
quality.  He  is  generous,  beneficent,  affection- 
ate. He  is  a  good  father,  and  if  you  so  will, 
he  would  prove  a  good  husband.  His  mel- 
ancholy, and  his  taste  for  study  and  retire- 
ment, render  him  disagreeable  to  you.  But 
let  me  ask  you,  is  this  his  fault  ?  Do  you  ex* 


118  HORTENSE.  [1802. 

Letter  from  Josephine. 

pect  him  to  change  his  nature  according  to  cir- 
cumstances? Who  could  have  foreseen  his 
altered  fortune?  But,  according  to  you,  he 
has  not  even  the  courage  to  bear  that  fortune. 
This,  I  think,  is  a  mistake.  With  his  secluded 
habits,  and  his  invincible  love  of  retirement 
and  study,  he  is  out  of  place  in  the  elevated 
rank  to  which  he  has  been  raised. 

"You  wish  that  he  resembled  his  brother. 
But  he  must  first  have  his  brother's  tempera- 
ment.  You  have  not  failed  to  remark  that  al- 
most our  entire  existence  depends  upon  our 
health,  and  health  upon  digestion.  If  poor 
Louis's  digestion  were  better,  you  would  find 
him  much  more  amiable.  But  as  he  is,  there 
is  nothing  to  justify  the  indifference  and  dis- 
like you  evince  towards  him.  You,  Hortense, 
who  used  to  be  so  good,  should  continue  so 
now,  when  it  is  most  requisite.  Take  pity  on 
a  man  who  is  to  be  pitied  for  what  would  con- 
stitute the  happiness  of  another.  Before  you 
condemn  him,  think  of  others  who,  like  him, 
have  groaned  beneath  the  burden  of  their  great- 
ness, and  bathed  with  tears  their  diadem,  which 
they  believed  had  never  been  destined  for 
their  brow.  When  I  advise  you  to  love,  or  at 
least  not  to  repulse  Louis,  I  speak  to  you  as 


1802.]    MARRIAGE  OF  HORTENSE.     119 


The  ball  of  Madame  Moiitesson. 


an  experienced  wife,  a  fond  mother,  and  a 
friend ;  and  in  these  three  characters,  which 
are  all  equally  dear  to  me,  I  tenderly  embrace 
you." 

Madame  Montesson  gave  the  first  ball  that 
took  place  in  honor  of  the  marriage  of  Louis 
Bonaparte  and  Hortense.  Invitations  were  is- 
sued for  seven  hundred  persons.  Though 
there  was  no  imperial  court  at  that  time,  for 
Napoleon  was  but  First  Consul,  yet  every 
thing  was  arranged  on  a  scale  of  regal  splen- 
dor. The  foreign  ambassadors  were  all  pres- 
ent; and  the  achievements  of  Napoleon  bad 
been  so  marvellous,  and  his  increasing  grand- 
eur was  so  sure,  that  all  present  vied  alike  in 
evincing  homage  to  the  whole  Bonaparte  fam- 
ily. A  lady  who  was  a  guest  on  the  occasion 
writes; 

"  Every  countenance  beamed  with  joy  save 
that  of  the  bride,  whose  profound  melancholy 
formed  a  sad  contrast  to  the  happiness  which 
she  might  have  been  expected  to  evince.  She 
was  covered  with  diamonds  and  flowers,  and 
yet  her  countenance  and  manner  showed  noth- 
ing but  regret  It  was  easy  to  foresee  the  mu- 
tual misery  that  would  arise  out  of  this  ill-as- 
sorted union.  Louis  Bonaparte  showed  but 


120  HORTENSE.  [1803. 


Birth  of  Napoleon  Charles. 


little  attention  to  his  bride.  Hortense,  on  her 
part,  seemed  to  shun  his  very  looks,  lest  he 
should  read  in  hers  the  indifference  she  felt 
towards  him.  This  indifference  daily  aug- 
mented in  spite  of  the  affectionate  advice  of 
Josephine,  who  earnestly  desired  to  see  Hor- 
tense in  the  .possession  of  that  happiness  and 
peace  of  mind  to  which  she  was  herself  a 
stranger.  But  all  her  endeavors  were  unavail- 
ing." 

The  first  child  the  fruit  of  this  marriage  was 
born  in  1803,  and  received  the  name  of  Napo- 
leon Charles.  Both  Napoleon  and  Josephine 
were  rendered  very  happy  by  his  birth.  He 
was  an  exceedingly  beautiful  and  promising 
child,  and  they  hoped  that  parental  endearments, 
lavished  upon  the  same  object,  would  unite  fa- 
ther and  mother  more  closely.  Napoleon  loved 
the  child  tenderly,  was  ever  fond  of  caressing 
him,  and  distinctly  announced  his  intention  of 
making  him  his  heir.  All  thoughts  of  the 
divorce  were  banished,  and  a  few  gleams  of 
tremulous  joy  visited  the  heart  of  Josephine. 
But  alas  !  these  joys  proved  of  but  short  dura- 
tion. It  was  soon  manifest  to  her  anxious 
view  that  there  was  no  hope  of  any  cordial 
reconciliation  between  Louis  and  Hortense. 


1806.]   MARRIAGE  OF  HORTENSE.     121 


Hortense  Queen  of  Holland. 


And  nothing  could  soothe  the  sorrow  of  Jose- 
phine's heart  when  she  saw  her  daughter's  hap- 
piness apparently  blighted  forever. 

Napoleon,  conscious  that  he  had  been  an  in- 
strument in  the  bitter  disappointments  of  Hor- 
tense  and  Louis,  did  every  thing  in  his  power 
to  requite  them  for  the  wrong.  Upon  attain- 
ing the  imperial  dignity,  he  appointed  his 
brother  Louis  constable  of  France,  and  soon 
after,  in  1805,  governor -general  of  Piedmont. 
In  1806,  Schimmelpennink,  grand  pensionary 
of  Batavia,  resigning  his  office  as  chief  magis- 
trate of  the  United  Netherlands,  Napoleon 
raised  Louis  to  the  dignity  of  King  of  Hoi- 
]and. 

On  the  18th  of  June,  1806,  Louis  and  Hor- 
tense arrived  in  their  new  dominions.  The 
exalted  station  to  which  Hortense  was  thus 
elevated  did  not  compensate  her  for  the  sad- 
ness of  separation  from  her  beloved  mother, 
with  whom  she  had  been  so  intimately  asso- 
ciated during  her  whole  life.  The  royal  pair 
took  up  their  residence  at  the  Maison  de  Bois, 
a  rural  palace  about  three  miles  from  the 
Hague.  Here  they  received  the  various  depu- 
tations, and  thence  made  their  public  entree 
into  the  capital  in  the  midst  of  a  scene  of  uni- 


122  HORTENSE.  [1806. 

Composition  of  the  u  Romances." 

versal  rejoicing.  The  pensive  air  of  the  queen 
did  but  add  to  the  interest  which  she  invaria- 
bly excited.  For  a  time  she  endeavored  to 
drown  her  griefs  in  yielding  herself  to  the  fes- 
tivities of  the  hour.  Her  fine  figure,  noble 
mien,  and  graceful  manners  fascinated  all  eyes 
and  won  all  hearts.  Her  complexion  was  of 
dazzling  purity,  her  eyes  of  a  soft  blue,  and  a 
profusion  of  fair  hair  hung  gracefully  upon 
her  shoulders.  Her  conversation  was  extreme- 
ly lively  and  vivacious,  having  on  every  occa- 
sion just  the  right  word  to  say.  Her  dancing 
was  said  to  be  the  perfection  of  grace.  With 
euch  accomplishments  for  her  station,  naturally 
fond  of  society  and  gayety,  and  with  a  disposi- 
tion to  recompense  herself,  for  her  heart's  dis- 
appointment, in  the  love  of  her  new  subjects, 
she  secured  in  a  very  high  degree  the  admira- 
tion of  the  Hollanders. 

It  was  at  this  time  that  Hortense  composed 
that  beautiful  collection  of  airs  called  romances 
which  has  given  her  position  among  the  ablest 
of  musical  composers.  "  The  saloons  of  Paris," 
says  a  French  writer,  "  the  solitude  of  exile, 
the  most  remote  countries,  have  all  acknowl- 
edged the  charm  of  these  most  delightful  mel- 
odies, which  need  no  royal  name  to  enhance 


1806.]    MARRIAGE  OF  HORTENSE.     123 


Madame  de  StaeL. 


their  reputation.  It  is  gratifying  to  our  pride 
of  country  to  hear  the  airs  of  France  sung  by 
the  Greek  and  by  the  Russian,  and  united  to 
national  poetry  on  the  banks  of  the  Thames 
and  the  Tagus.  The  homage  thus  rendered  is 
the  more  flattering  because  the  rank  of  the 
composer  is  unknown.  It  is  their  intrinsic 
merit  which  gives  to  these  natural  effusions  of 
female  sensibility  the  power  of  universal  suc- 
cess. If  Hortense  ever  experienced  matrimo- 
nial felicity,  it  must  have  been  at  this  time." 

When  Madame  de  Stae'l  was  living  in  exile 
in  the  old  Castle  of  Chaumont-sur-Loire,  where 
she  was  joined  by  her  beautiful  friend  Madame 
Re'camier,  one  of  their  favorite  songs  was  that 
exquisite  air  composed  by  Queen  Hortense 
upon  her  husband's  motto,  "Do  what  is  right, 
come  what  may." 

The  little  son  of  Hortense  was  twining  him- 
self closely  around  his  mother's  heart  He  had 
become  her  idol.  Napoleon  was  then  in  the  ze- 
nith of  his  power,  and  it  was  understood  that 
Napoleon  Charles  was  to  inherit  the  imperial 
sceptre.  The  warmth  of  his  heart  and  his 
daily  intellectual  development  indicated  that 
he  would  prove  worthy  of  the  station  which 
he  was  destined  to  fill. 


124  HORTENSE.  [1806, 

Anecdote  of  Napoleon  Charles. 

Shortly  after  the  queen's  arrival  at  the  Hague, 
she  received  a  New  Year's  present  from  Jose- 
phine for  the  young  Napoleon  Charles.  It  con- 
sisted of  a  large  chest  filled  with  the  choicest 
playthings  which  Paris  could  present  The 
little  boy  was  seated  near  a  window  which 
opened  upon  the  park.  As  his  mother  took 
one  after  another  of  the  playthings  from  the 
chest  to  exhibit  to  him,  she  was  surprised  and 
disappointed  to  find  that  he  regarded  them 
with  so  much  indifference.  His  attention  seem- 
ed to  be  very  much  occupied  in  looking  out 
into  the  park.  Hortense  said  to  him,  "  My 
son,  are  you  not  grateful  to  your  grandmam- 
ma for  sending  you  so  many  beautiful  pres- 
ents?" 

"Indeed  I  am,  mamma,"  he  replied.  "But 
it  does  not  surprise  me,  for  grandmamma  is  al- 
ways so  good  that  I  am  used  to  it." 

"  Then  you  are  not  amused  with  all  these 
pretty  playthings,  my  son  ?" 

"Oh  yes,  mamma,  but — but  then  i  want 
something  else." 

"  What  is  it,  my  darling  ?  You  know  how 
much  I  love  you.  You  may  be  sure  that  I 
will  give  it  to  you." 

"No,  mamma,  I  am  afraid  you  won't.      I 


1804J  MARRIAGE  OF  HORTENSE.     125 


Letter  from  Josephine. 


want  you  to  let  me  run  about  barefooted  in 
that  puddle  in  the  avenue." 

His  mother  of  course  could  not  grant  this 
request,  and  the  little  fellow  mourned  very 
justly  over  the  misfortune  of  being  a  prince, 
which  prevented  him  from  enjoying  himself 
like  other  boys  in  playing  in  the  mud. 

Hortense,  absorbed  in  her  new  cares,  wrote 
almost  daily  to  her  mother,  giving  interesting 
recitals  of  the  child.  She  did  not,  however, 
write  as  frequently  to  her  father.  Josephine 
wrote  to  her  from  Aix-la-Chapelle,  under  date 
of  September  8th,  1804: 

"The  news  which  you  give  me  of  Napoleon 
affords  me  great  pleasure,  my  dear  Hortense ; 
for  in  addition  to  the  very  tender  interest  I 
feel  for  him,  I  appreciate  all  the  anxieties  from 
which  you  are  relieved ;  and  you  know,  my 
dear  child,  that  your  happiness  will  ever  con- 
stitute a  part  of  mine.  The  Emperor  has 
read  your  letter.  He  has  at  times  appeared  to 
me  wounded,  in  not  hearing  from  you.  He 
would  not  accuse  your  heart  if  he  knew  you 
as  well  as  I  do.  But  appearances  are  against 
you.  Since  he  may  suppose  that  you  neglect 
him,  do  not  lose  a  moment  to  repair  the  wrongs 
which  are  not  intentional.  Say  to  him  that  it 


126  HORTENSE.  [1804 

Letter  from  Josephine. 

is  through  discretion  that  you  have  not  written 
to  him  ;  that  your  heart  suffers  from  that  law 
which  even  respect  dictates ;  that  having  al- 
ways manifested  towards  you  the  goodness  and 
tenderness  of  a  father,  it  will  ever  be  your  hap- 
piness to  offer  to  him  the  homage  of  gratitude. 

"Speak  to  him  also  of  the  hope  you  cherish 
of  seeing  me  at  the  period  of  your  confinement. 
I  can  not  endure  the  thought  of  being  absent 
from  you  at  that  time.  Be  sure,  my  Hortense, 
that  nothing  can  prevent  me  from  going  to 
take  care  of  you  for  your  sake,  and  still  more 
for  my  own.  Do  you  speak  of  this  also  to  Bo- 
naparte, who  loves  you  as  if  you  were  his  own 
child.  And  this  greatly  increases  my  attach- 
ment for  him.  Adieu,  my  good  Hortense.  I 
embrace  you  with  the  warmest  affections  of 
my  heart." 

Soon  after  this  Hortense  gave  birth  to  her 
second  child,  Napoleon  Louis.  The  health  of 
the  mother  not  long  after  the  birth  of  the  child 
rendered  it  necessary  for  her  to  visit  the  wa- 
ters of  St.  Armand.  It  seems  that  little  Na- 
poleon Louis  was  placed  under  the  care  of  a 
nurse  where  Josephine  could  often  see  him. 
The  Empress  wrote  to  Hortense  from  St.  Cloud 
on  the  20th  of  July,  1805: 


1804.]  MARRIAGE  OP  HORTENSE.     127 


Letter  from  Josephine. 


"My  health  requires  that  I  should  repose  a 
little  from  the  fatigues  of  the  long  journey 
which  I  have  just  made,  and  particularly  from 
the  grief  which  I  have  experienced  in  separa- 
ting myself  from  Eugene  in  Italy.  I  received 
yesterday  a  letter  from  him.  He  is  very  well, 
and  works  hard.  He  greatly  regrets  being 
separated  from  his  mother  and  his  beloved  sis- 
ter. Alas  I  there  are  unquestionably  many 
people  who  envy  his  lot,  and  who  think  him 
very  happy.  Such  persons  do  not  read  his 
heart.  In  writing  to  you,  my  dear  Hortense, 
I  would  only  speak  to  you  of  my  tenderness 
for  you,  and  inform  you  how  happy  I  have 
been  to  have  your  son  Napoleon  Louis  with 
me  since  my  return. 

"The  Emperor,  without  speaking  to  me 
about  it,  sent  to  him  immediately  on  our  arri- 
val at  Fontainebleau.  I  was  much  touched 
by  this  attention  on  his  part.  He  had  per- 
ceived that  I  had  need  of  seeing  a  second  your- 
self; a  little  charming  being  created  by  thee. 
The  child  is  very  well.  He  is  very  happy. 
He  eats  only  the  soup  which  his  nurse  gives 
him.  He  never  comes  in  when  we  are  at  the 
table.  The  Emperor  caresses  him  very  much. 
Eugene  has  given  me.  for  you,  a  necklace  of 


128  HORTENSE,  [1806. 


Campaigns  of  Jena  and  Friedland. 


malachite,  engraved  in  relief.  M.  Bergheim 
will  hand  you  one  which  I  purchased  at  Milan. 
It  is  composed  of  engraved  amethysts,  which 
will  be  very  becoming  upon  your  beautiful 
white  skin.  Give  my  most  affectionate  remem- 
brance to  your  husband.  Embrace  for  me  Na- 
poleon Charles,  and  rely,  my  dear  daughter, 
upon  the  tenderness  of  your  mother, 

"  JOSEPHINE." 

At  midnight,  on  the  24th  of  September, 
1806,  Napoleon  left  Paris  to  repel  a  new  coa- 
lition of  his  foes  in  the  campaigns  of  Jena, 
Auerstadt,  Eylau,  and  Friedland.  Josephine 
accompanied  her  husband  as  far  as  Mayence, 
where  she  remained,  that  she  might  more  easi- 
ly receive  tidings  from  him.  Just  before  leav- 
ing Paris,  Napoleon  reviewed  the  Imperial 
Guard  in  the  court-yard  of  the  Tuileries.  Af- 
ter the  review  he  entered  the  saloon  of  Jose- 
phine. Throwing  down  his  hat  and  sword 
upon  the  sofa,  he  took  the  arm  of  the  Empress, 
and  they  together  walked  up  and  down  the 
room,  earnestly  engaged  in  conversation.  Lit- 
tle Napoleon  Charles,  who  was  on  a  visit  to 
his  grandmother,  picked  up  the  Emperor's 
cocked  hat,  placed  it  upon  his  head,  and  put- 


m 


THE   LITTLE   PRINCE   CHARLES   NAPOLEON. 


3—9 


1806.]   MARRIAGE  OF  HORTENSE.     131 


Anecdote. 


ting  the  sword-belt  over  his  neck,  with  the 
dangling  sword,  began  strutting  behind  the 
Emperor  with  a  very  military  tread,  attempt- 
ing to  whistle  a  martial  air.  Napoleon,  turn- 
ing around,  saw  the  child,  and  catching  him 
up  in  his  arms,  hugged  and  kissed  him,  saying 
to  Josephine,  "What  a  charming  picture  1" 
Josephine  immediately  ordered  a  portrait  to 
be  taken  by  the  celebrated  painter  Gerard  of 
the  young  prince  in  that  costume.  She  intend- 
ed to  send  it  a  present  to  the  Emperor  as  a 
surprise. 

The  Empress  remained  for  some  time  at 
Mayence  and  its  environs,  daily  writing  to  the 
Emperor,  and  almost  daily,  sometimes  twice  a 
day,  receiving  letters  from  him.  These  notes 
were  very  brief,  but  always  bore  the  impress 
of  ardent  affection. 

On  the  13th  of  January,  1806,  Eugene  was 
very  happily  married  to  the  Princess  Augusta 
Amelie,  daughter  of  the  Elector  of  Bavaria. 
When  Josephine  heard  of  the  contemplated 
connection,  she  wrote  to  Hortense: 

"You  know  very  well  that  the  Emperor 
would  not  marry  Eugene  without  my  knowl- 
**dge;  Still  I  accept  the  public  rumor.  I 
should  love  very  much  to  have  her  for  a  daugh- 


132  HORTENSE.  [1806. 

Letter  from  Josephine  to  Hortenae. 

ter-in-law.  She  is  a  charming  character,  and 
beautiful  as  an  angel.  She  unites  to  an  ele- 
gant figure  the  most  graceful  carriage  I  have 
ever  known." 

A  few  days  after,  on  the  9th  of  January,  she 
wrote  from  Munich:  "  I  am  not  willing  to  lose 
a  moment,  rny  dear  Hortense,  in  informing  you 
that  the  marriage  of  Eugene  with  the  daughter 
of  the  Elector  of  Bavaria  is  just  definitely 
arranged.  You  will  appreciate,  as  I  do,  all 
the  value  of  this  new  proof  of  the  attachment 
which  the  Emperor  manifests  for  your  brother. 
Nothing  in  the  world  could  be  more  agreeable 
to  me  than  this  alliance.  The  young  princess 
unites  to  a  charming  figure  all  the  qualities 
which  can  render  a  woman  interesting  and 
lovely.  The  marriage  is  not  to  be  celebrated 
here,  but  in  Paris.  Thus  you  will  be  able  to 
witness  the  happiness  of  your  brother,  and 
mine  will  be  perfect,  since  I  shall  find  myself 
united  to  both  of  my  dear  children." 

The  arrangements  were  changed  subsequent- 
ly, and  the  nuptials  were  solemnized  in  Mu- 
nich. Napoleon  wrote  as  follows  to  Hortense : 

"  Munich,  January  9th,  18(W5- 

"Mr  DAUGHTER, — Eugene  arrives  to-mor- 


1807.]   MARRIAGE  OF  HORTENSE.     133 


Josephine  to  Hortenge. 


row,  and  is  to  be  married  in  four  days.  I 
should  have  been  very  happy  if  you  could 
have  attended  his  marriage,  but  there  is  no 
longer  time.  The  Princess  Augusta  is  tall, 
beautiful,  and  full  of  good  qualities,  and  you 
will  have,  in  all  respects,  a  sister  worthy  of 
you.  A  thousand  kisses  to  M.  Napoleon. 

"  NAPOLEON." 

The  Empress,  after  remaining  some  time  at 
Mayence,  as  the  campaign  on  the  banks  of  the 
Vistula  was  protracted,  returned  to  Paris.  In 
a  state  of  great  anxiety  with  regard  to  her  hus- 
band, she  took  up  her  residence  at  St.  Cloud. 
Under  date  of  March,  1807,  she  wrote  to  her 
daughter,  then  queen  of  Holland,  residing  at 
the  Hague : 

"I  have  received  much  pleasure  in  speaking 
of  you  with  M.  Jansens.  I  perceive,  from 
what  he  tells  me  respecting  Holland,  that  the 
king  is  very  much  beloved,  and  that  you  share 
in  the  general  affection.  This  renders  me  hap- 
py. My  health  is  very  good  at  the  present 
moment,  but  my  heart  is  always  sad. 

"  All  the  private  letters  which  I  have  seen 
agree  in  the  declaration  that  the  Emperor  ex- 
posed himself  very  much  at  the  battle  of  Eylau. 


134  HORTENSE.  [1807. 

Death  of  Napoleon  Charles. 

I  frequently  receive  tidings  from  him,  and 
sometimes  two  letters  a  day.  This  is  a  great 
consolation,  but  it  does  not  replace  him." 

That  Napoleon,  in  the  midst  of  the  ten  thou- 
sand cares  of  so  arduous  a  campaign,  could  have 
found  time  to  write  daily  to  Josephine,  and 
often  twice  a  day,  is  surely  extraordinary. 
There  are  not  many  husbands,  it  is  to  be  fear- 
ed, who  are  so  thoughtful  of  the  anxieties  of  an 
absent  wife. 

Early  in  May  the  Empress  received  the  por- 
trait, of  which  we  have  spoken,  of  her  idolized 
grandchild,  Napoleon  Charles,  in  his  amusing 
military  costume.  She  was  intending  to  send 
it  as  a  pleasing  memorial  to  the  Emperor  in  his 
distant  encampment. 

Just  then  she  received  the  dreadful  tidings 
that  little  Napoleon  Charles  had  been  taken 
sick  with  the  croup,  and,  after  the  illness  of  but 
a  few  hours,  had  died.  It  was  the  5th  of  May, 
1807.  Josephine  was  in  Paris;  Hortense  at 
the  Hague,  in  Holland ;  Napoleon  was  hun- 
dreds of  leagues  distant  in  the  north,  with  his 
army  almost  buried  in  snow  upon  the  banks 
of  the  Vistula. 

The  world  perhaps  has  never  witnessed  the 
death  of  a  child  which  has  caused  so  much  an- 


1807.]   MARRIAGE  OF   HORTENSE.     135 


Anguish  of  Hortense. 


guish.  Hortense  did  not  leave  her  son  for  a 
moment,  as  the  terrible  disease  advanced  to  its 
termination.  When  he  breathed  his  last  she 
seemed  completely  stunned.  Not  a  tear  dim- 
med her  eye.  Not  a  word,  not  a  moan  was  ut- 
tered. Like  a  marble  statue,  she  sat  upon  the 
sofa  where  the  child  had  died,  gazing  around 
her  with  a  look  of  wild,  amazed,  delirious  ago- 
ny. With  much  difficulty  she  was  taken  from 
the  room,  being  removed  on  the  sofa  upon 
which  she  reclined.  Her  anguish  was  so  great 
that  for  some  time  it  was  feared  that  reason 
was  dethroned,  and  that  the  blow  would  prove 
fatal.  Her  limbs  were  rigid,  and  her  dry  and 
glassy  eye  was  riveted  upon  vacancy.  At 
length,  in  the  endeavor  to  bring  her  out  from 
this  dreadful  state,  the  lifeless  body  of  the  child, 
dressed  for  the  grave,  was  brought  in  and 
placed  in  the  lap  of  its  mother.  The  pent-up 
anguish  of  Hortense  now  found  momentary  re- 
lief in  a  flood  of  tears,  and  in  loud  and  uncon- 
trollable sobbings. 

The  anguish  of  Josephine  surpassed,  if  pos- 
sible, even  that  of  Hortense.  The  Empress 
knew  that  Napoleon  had  selected  this  child  as 
his  heir ;  that  consequently  the  terrible  divorce 
was  no  longer  to  be  thought  o£  In  addition 


136  HORTENSE.  [1807. 

Letter  of  condolence. 

to  the  loss  of  one  she  so  tenderly  loved,  rose 
the  fear  that  his  death  would  prove  to  her  the 
greatest  of  earthly  calamities.  For  three  days 
she  could  not  leave  her  apartment,  and  did 
nothing  but  weep. 

The  sad  intelligence  were  conveyed  to  Napo- 
leon in  his  cheerless  encampment  upon  the 
Vistula.  As  he  received  the  tidings  he  ut- 
tered not  a  word.  Sitting  down  in  silence,  he 
buried  his  face  in  his  hand,  and  for  a  long 
time  seemed  lost  in  painful  musings.  No  one 
ventured  to  disturb  his  grief  with  attempted 
consolation. 

As  soon  as  Josephine  was  able  to  move,  she 
left  Paris  to  visit  her  bereaved,  heart-broken 
daughter.  But  her  strength  failed  her  by  the 
way,  and  when  she  reached  Luchen,  a  palace 
near  Brussels,  she  was  able  to  proceed  no  far- 
ther. She  wrote  as  follows  to  Hortense : 

"  Luchen,  May  14th,  1807—10  o'clock  P.M. 
"  I  have  arrived  this  moment  at  the  chateau 
of  Luchen,  my  dear  daughter.  It  is  there  I 
write  to  you,  and  there  I  await  you.  Come  to 
restore  me  to  life.  Your  presence  is  necessary 
to  me,  and  you  must  also  feel  the  need  of  see- 
ing me,  that  you  may  weep  with  your  mother. 


1807.]   MARRIAGE  OF  HORTENSE.     137 


Josephine  to  Hortense. 


I  earnestly  wish  to  proceed  farther,  but  my 
strength  has  failed  me,  and  moreover  I  have 
not  had  time  to  apprise  the  Emperor.  I  have 
found  strength  to  come  thus  far.  I  hope  you 
also  will  find  strength  to  come  and  see  your 
mother." 

Hortense  immediately  repaired  to  Luchen  to 
seek  a  mother's  sympathy.  With  Josephine 
she  returned  to  Paris,  and  soon  after,  by  the  en- 
treaties of  her  physician,  continued  her  journey 
to  take  the  waters  of  a  mineral  spring  in  the 
south  of  France,  seeking  a  change  of  climate 
and  of  scene.  Josephine  remained  in  the 
depths  of  sorrow  at  St.  Cloud.  On  the  same 
day  in  which  Josephine  arrived  at  Luchen,  the 
Emperor  wrote  to  her  from  the  Vistula  as  fol- 
lows: 

"  Finckenstein,  May  14th,  1807. 

"  I  can  appreciate  the  grief  which  the  death 
of  poor  Napoleon  has  caused.  You  can  under- 
stand the  anguish  which  I  experience.  I  could 
wish  that  I  were  with  you,  that  you  might  be- 
come moderate  and  discreet  in  your  grief. 
You  have  had  the  happiness  of  never  losing 
any  children.  But  it  is  one  of  the  conditions 
and  sorrows  attached  to  suffering  humanity. 
Let  me  hear  that  you  have  become  reasonable 


138  HORTENSE.  [1807. 

Kapoleon  to  Hortense. 

and  tranquil.  Would  you  magnify  my  an- 
guish ?" 

Two  days  after  Napoleon  wrote  the  Em« 
press: 

"I  have  received  your  letter  of  the  sixth  of 
May.  I  see  in  it  already  the  injury  which  you 
are  suffering,  and  I  fear  that  you  are  not  rea- 
sonable, and  that  you  afflict  yourself  too  much 
from  the  calamity  which  has  befallen  us. 

"  Adieu  my  love.     Entirely  thine, 

"NAPOLEON." 

Again,  after  the  lapse  of  four  days,  he 
wrote : 

"I  have  received  your  letter  of  the  tenth  of 
May.  I  see  that  you  have  gone  to  Luchen. 
I  think  that  you  may  rest  there  a  fortnight. 
That  will  give  much  pleasure  to  the  Belgians, 
and  will  serve  to  divert  your  mind.  I  see  with 
pain  that  you  are  not  wise.  Grief  has  bounds 
which  it  should  not  pass.  Preserve  yourself 
for  your  friend,  and  believe  in  all  my  affec- 
tion." 

On  the  same  day  the  Emperor  wrote  as  fol- 
lows to  Hortense : 

"  Finckenstein,  May  20th,  1807. 

"  MY  DAUGHTER, — Every  thing  whick  reach- 


1807.]   MARRIAGE  OF  HORTENSE      139 


Napoleon  to  Hortense. 


es  me  from  the  Hague  informs  me  that  you  are 
unreasonable.  However  legitimate  may  be 
your  grief,  it  should  have  its  bounds.  Do  not 
impair  your  health.  Seek  consolation.  Know 
that  life  is  strewn  with  so  many  dangers,  and 
may  be  the  source  of  so  many  calamities,  that 
death  is  by  no  means  the  greatest  of  evils. 
"  Your  affectionate  father,  NAPOLEON." 

It  is  to  be  borne  in  mind  that  these  brief 
epistles  were  written  from  the  midst  of  one  of 
the  most  arduous  of  campaigns.  Four  days 
after  this,  on  the  24th,  Napoleon  wrote  to  Jo- 
sephine: 

"  I  have  received  your  letter  from  Luchen. 
I  see  with  pain  that  your  grief  is  still  unabated, 
and  that  Hortense  has  not  yet  arrived.  She  is 
unreasonable,  and  does  not  merit  that  one 
should  love  her,  since  she  loves  only  her  chil- 
dren. Strive  to  calm  yourself,  and  give  me  no 
more  pain.  For  every  irremediable  evil  we 
should  find  consolation.  Adieu,  my  love. 
"  Wholly  thine,  NAPOLEON." 

After  two  days  again  the  Emperor  wrote  to 
Josephine : 

"  I  have  received  your  letter  of  the  16tto,  and 


140  HORTENSE.  [1807. 

Napoleon  to  Hortense. 

see  with  pleasure  that  Hortense  has  arrived  at 
Luchen.  I  am  indeed  grieved  bj  what  you 
tell  me  of  the  state  of  stupor  in  which  she  still 
continues.  She  should  have  more  fortitude, 
and  should  govern  herself.  I  can  not  conceive 
why  they  should  wish  her  to  go  to  the  springs. 
Her  attention  would  be  much  more  diverted  at 
Paris,  and  she  would  find  there  more  consola- 
tion. Control  yourself.  Be  cheerful,  and  take 
care  of  your  health.  Adieu,  my  love.  I  share 
deeply  in  all  your  griefs.  It  is  painful  to  me 
that  I  am  not  with  you.  NAPOLEON." 

*  It  will  be  remembered  that  Hortense  had 
another  child,  then  but  an  infant,  by  the  name 
of  Napoleon  Louis.  This  child  subsequently 
married  a  daughter  of  Joseph  Bonaparte,  and 
died  in  a  campaign  in  Italy,  as  he  espoused  the 
popular  cause  in  the  endeavor  to  throw  off  the 
yoke  of  Austria,  The  third  and  only  surviv- 
ing child,  Louis  Napoleon,  now  Emperor  of  the 
French,  was  not  then  born. 

We  have  previously  alluded  in  this  history 
to  a  niece  of  Madame  Campari  by  the  name  of 
Addle  Auguie*,  who  was  the  intimate  friend  and 
companion  of  Hortense  in  her  school-days. 
School-girl  attachments,  though  often  very  ar- 


1807.]   MARRIAGE   OF  HORTENSE.     14) 


Josephiue  to  Hortense. 


dent,  are  not  generally  very  lasting.  This  one, 
however,  proved  of  life-long  duration.  Ade'le 
became  Madame  de  Broc.  There  is  an  allusion 
to  her  in  the  following  letter.  We  shall  here- 
after have  occasion  to  refer  to  her  in  describing 
the  disaster  which  terminated  her  life.  It  was 
the  latter  part  of  May  when  Hortense  left  her 
mother  to  journey  to  the  south  of  France. 
Soon  after  her  departure  Josephine  wrote  to 
her  as  follows : 

"St.  Cloud,  May  27th,  1807. 

"I  have  wept  much  since  your  departure, 
my  dear  Hortense.  This  separation  has  been 
very  painful  to  me.  Nothing  can  give  me 
courage  to  support  it  but  the  certainty  that  the 
journey  will  do  you  good.  I  have  received 
tidings  from  you,  through  Madame  Broc,  I 
pray  you  to  thank  her  for  that  attention,  and 
to  request  her  to  write  to  me  when  you  may 
be  unable  to  write  yourself.  I  had  also  news 
from  your  son.  He  is  at  the  chateau  of  Lu- 
chen,  very  well,  and  awaiting  the  arrival  of  the 
king.  He  shares  very  keenly  in  our  griefs. 
I  have  need  of  this  consolation,  for  I  have  had 
none  other  since  your  departure.  Always 
alone  by  myself,  every  moment  dwelling  upon 
the  subject  of  our  affliction,  my  tears  flow  in- 


142  HORTENSE.  [1807. 

Josephine  to  Hortense. 

cessantlj.  Adieu,  my  beloved  child.  Pre- 
serve yourself  for  a  mother  who  loves  you  ten- 
derly." 

Soon  after  this  Josephine  went  for  a  short 
time  to  Malmaison.  On  the  2d  of  June  Napo- 
leon wrote  to  her  from  that  place  the  following 
letter,  inclosing  also  one  for  Hortense. 

"MY  LOVE, — I  have  learned  of  your  arrival 
at  Malmaison.  I  am  displeased  with  Hortense. 
She  does  not  write  me  a  word.  Every  thing 
which  you  say  to  me  of  her  gives  me  pain. 
Why  is  it  that  you  have  not  been  able  a  little 
to  console  her?  You  weep.  I  hope  that  you 
will  control  your  feelings,  that  I  may  not  find 
you  overwhelmed  with  sadness.  I  have  been 
at  Dantzic  for  two  days.  The  weather  is  very 
fine,  and  I  am  well.  I  think  more  of  you  than 
you  can  think  of  one  who  is  absent.  Adieu 
my  love.  My  most  affectionate  remembrance. 
Send  the  inclosed  letter  to  Hortense." 

The  letter  to  Hortense  to  which  Napoleon 
refers,  was  as  follows: 

"  Dantzic,  June  2d,  1807. 

"MY  DAUGHTER, — You  have  not  written 
me  a  word  in  your  well-founded  and  great  af- 
fliction. You  have  forgotten  every  thing  as 
if  you  had  no  other  loss  to  endure.  I  am  in- 


1807.]    MARRIAGE  OF  HORTENSE.     143 


Napoleon  to  Hortense. 


formed  that  you  no  longer  love ;  that  you  are 
indifferent  to  every  thing.  I  perceive  it  by 
your  silence.  This  is  not  right,  Hortense.  It 
is  not  what  you  promised  me.  Your  child 
was  every  thing  to  you.  Had  I  been  at  Mal- 
maison,  I  should  have  shared  your  anguish. 
But  I  should  also  have  wished  that  you  would 
restore  yourself  to  your  best  friends.  Adieu, 
my  daughter.  Be  cheerful.  We  must  learn 
resignation.  Cherish  your  health,  that  you 
may  be  able  to  fulfill  all  your  duties.  My 
wife  is  very  sad  in  view  of  your  condition. 
Do  not  add  to  her  anguish." 

The  next  day,  June  3d,  the  Emperor  wrote 
to  Josephine : 

"All  the  letters  which  come  to  me  from 
St.  Cloud  say  that  you  weep  continually. 
This  is  not  right.  It  is  necessary  to  control 
one's  self  and  to  be  contented.  Hortense  is 
entirely  wrong.  What  you  write  me  about 
her  is  pitiful.  Adieu,  my  love.  Believe  in 
the  affection  with  which  I  cherish  you." 

The  next  day  Josephine  wrote  from  the 
palace  of  St.  Cloud  to  Hortense,  who  was  then 
at  the  waters  of  Cauterets : 

"  Your  letter  has  greatly  consoled  me,  my 
dear  Hortense,  and  the  tidings  of  your  health, 


144  HORTENSE.  [1807. 


Josephine  to  Hortense. 


which  I  have  received  from  your  ladies,  con- 
tribute very  much  to  render  me  more  tranquil. 
The  Emperor  has  been  deeply  affected.  In  all 
his  letters  he  seeks  to  give  me  fortitude,  but 
I  know  that  this  severe  affliction  has  been 
keenly  felt  by  him. 

"The  king*  arrived  yesterday  at  St.  Leu. 
He  has  sent  me  word  that  he  will  come  to  see 
me  to-day.  He  will  leave  the  little  one  with 
me  during  his  absence.  You  know  how  dear- 
ly I  love  that  child,  and  the  solicitude  I  feel 
for  him.  I  hope  that  the  king  will  follow  the 
same  route  which  you  have  taken.  It  will  be, 
my  dear  Hortense,  a  consolation  to  you  both 
to  see  each  other  again.  All  the  letters  which 
I  have  received  from  him  since  his  departure 
are  full  of  his  attachment  for  you.  Your  heart 
is  too  affectionate  not  to  be  touched  by  this. 
Adieu,  my  dear  child.  Take  care  of  your 
health.  Mine  can  never  be  established  till  I 
shall  no  longer  suffer  for  those  whom  I  love. 
I  embrace  you  tenderly.  JOSEPHINE." 

*  The  husband  of  Hortense,  King  of  Holland.  He  was 
then  very  sick,  suffering  from  an  attack  of  paralysis.  St. 
Leu  was  a  beautiful  estate  he  owned  in  France.  He  had 
with  him  his  second  and  then  only  living  child,  Napoleon 
Louis.  Leaving  him  with  his  grandmother,  he  repaired  to 
Oauterets.  where  he  joined  Hortense,  his  wife. 


1807.]    MARRIAGE  or  HORTENSE.     145 


Josephine  to  Hortense. 


Two  days  after  this,  on  the  6th,  the  Empe- 
ror wrote  the  Empress : 

"I  am  very  well,  my  love.  Your  letter  of 
yesterday  gave  me  much  pain.  It  appears 
that  you  are  continually  sad,  and  that  you  are 
not  reasonable.  The  weather  is  very  bad. 
Adieu,  my  love.  I  love  you  and  desire  to 
hear  that  you  are  cheerful  and  contented." 

On  the  llth  of  June,  Josephine  again  wrote 
to  Hortense : 

"  Your  son  is  remarkably  well.  He  amuses 
me  much ;  he  is  so  pleasant.  I  find  he  has 
all  the  endearing  manners  of  the  poor  child 
over  whose  loss  we  weep." 

Again  she  wrote,  probably  the  next  day,  in 
answer  to  a  letter  from  Hortense  : 

"  Your  letter  has  affected  me  deeply,  my 
dear  daughter.  I  see  how  profound  and  un- 
varying is  your  grief.  And  I  perceive  it  still 
more  sensibly  by  the  anguish  which  I  experi- 
ence myself.  We  have  lost  that  which  in 
every  respect  was  the  most  worthy  to  be  loved. 
My  tears  flow  as  on  the  first  day.  Our  grief 
is  too  well-founded  for  reason  to  be  able  to 
«ause  it  to  cease.  Nevertheless,  my  dear  Hor- 
tense, it  should  moderate  it  You  are  not 
alone  in  the  world.  There  still  remains  to  you 


146  HORTENSE.  [1807, 

Napoleon  to  Hortense. 

a  husband  and  a  mother,  whose  tender  love 
you  well  know,  and  you  have  too  much  sensi- 
bility to  regard  all  that  with  coldness  and  in- 
difference. Think  of  us;  and  let  that  memory 
calm  another  well  grounded  and  grievous.  I 
rely  upon  your  attachment  for  me  and  upon 
the  strength  of  your  mind.  I  hope  also  that 
the  journey  and  the  waters  will  do  you  good. 
Your  son  is  remarkably  well.  He  is  a  charm- 
ing child.  My  health  is  a  little  better,  but 
you  know  that  it  depends  upon  yours.  Adieu. 
I  embrace  you.  JOSEPHINE." 

On  the  16th  of  June,  Napoleon  again  wrote 
to  Hortense  from  his  distant  encampment: 

"MY  DAUGHTER, — I  have  received  your 
letter  dated  Orleans.  Your  griefs  touch  my 
heart,  but  I  could  wish  that  you  would  sum- 
mon more  fortitude.  To  live  is  to  suffer,  and 
the  sincere  man  suffers  incessantly  to  retain 
the  mastery  over  himself.  I  do  not  love  to 
see  you  unjust  towards  the  little  Napoleon 
Louis,  and  towards  all  your  friends.  Your 
mother  and  I  had  cherished  the  hope  of  being 
more  than  we  are  in  your  heart.  I  have  gain- 
ed a  great  victory  on  the  14th  of  June.*  I 
*  Victoiy  of  Friedland. 


1807.]   MARRIAGE  OF  HORTENSE.     14:7 

The  need  of  charity. 

am  well  and  love  you  very  much.  Adieu, 
my  daughter.  I  embrace  you  with  my  whole 
heart." 

The  above  extracts  from  the  private  corre- 
spondence of  Napoleon  and  Josephine  reveal, 
more  clearly  than  any  thing  else  could  possi- 
bly do,  the  anguish  with  which  Hortense  was 
oppressed.  They  also  exhibit,  in  a  very  inter- 
esting light,  the  affectionate  relationship  which 
existed  between  the  members  of  the  Imperial 
family.  The  authenticity  of  the  letters  is  be- 
yond all  possible  question.  How  much  more 
charitable  should  we  be  could  we  but  fully 
understand  the  struggles  and  the  anguish  to 
which  all  human  hearts  are  exposed. 


148  HORTENSE.  [1808. 

Birth  of  Louie  Napoleon. 


CHAPTER  Y. 

BIRTH  OF  Louis  NAPOLEON  AND 
THE  DIVORCE  OF  JOSEPHINE. 


latter  part  of  July,  1807,  Hortense,  in 
the  state  of  anguish  which  the  preceding 
chapter  develops,  was,  with  her  husband,  at  the 
waters  of  Cauterets,  in  the  south  of  France. 
They  were  united  by  the  ties  of  a  mutual 
grief.  Napoleon  was  more  than  a  thousand 
miles  away  in  the  north  of  Europe.  In  con- 
siderably less  than  a  year  from  that  date,  on 
the  20th  of  April,  1808,  Hortense  gave  birth 
in  Paris  to  her  third  child,  Louis  Napoleon, 
now  Napoleon  III.,  Emperor  of  the  French. 
Josephine  was  then  at  Bordeaux,  and  wrote 
as  follows  to  Hortense  : 

"  Bordeaux,  April  23d,  1808. 

"  I  am,  my  dear  Hortense,  in  an  excess  of 
joy.  The  tidings  of  your  happy  accouche- 
ment were  brought  to  me  yesterday  by  M.  de 
Villeneuve.  I  felt  my  heart  beat  the  moment 


1808.]    DIVORCE  OF  JOSEPHINE.       149 


Letter  from  Josephine. 


I  saw  him  enter.  But  I  cherished  the  hope 
that  he  had  only  good  tidings  to  bring  me,  and 
my  presentiments  did  not  deceive  me.  I  have 
received  a  second  letter,  which  assures  me  that 
you  are  very  well,  and  also  your  son.  I  know 
that  Napoleon  will  console  himself  in  not  hav- 
ing a  sister,  and  that  he  already  loves  very 
much  his  brother.  Embrace  them  both  for 
me.  But  I  must  not  write  you  too  long  a  let- 
ter from  fear  of  fatiguing  you.  Take  care  of 
yourself  with  the  utmost  caution.  Do  not  re- 
ceive too  much  company  at  present.  Let  me 
hear  from  you  every  day.  I  await  tidings 
from  you  with  as  much  impatience  as  I  love 
you  with  tenderness.  JOSEPHINE." 

The  birth  of  this  prince,  Louis  Napoleon, 
whose  renown  as  Napoleon  III.  now  fills  the 
world,  and  respecting  whose  character  and 
achievements  there  is  so  wonderful  a  diversity 
of  sentiment  among  intelligent  men,  took  place 
in  Paris.  Napoleon  was  at  that  time  upon  the 
highest  pinnacle  of  prosperity.  The  Allies, 
vanquished  in  every  conflict,  seemed  disposed 
to  give  up  the  attempt  to  reinstate  the  Bour- 
bons upon  the  throne  of  France.  The  birth 
of  Louis  Napoleon,  as  a  prince  of  the  Empire, 


150  HORTENSE.  [1808. 

Public  announcement  of  the  birth. 

in  the  direct  line  of  hereditary  descent,  was 
welcomed  by  the  guns  of  the  Invalides,  and  by 
military  salutes  all  along  the  lines  of  the  Impe- 
rial army,  from  Hamburg  to  Eome,  and  from 
the  Pyrenees  to  the  Danube.  The  important 
event  was  thus  announced  in  the  Moniteur  of 
April  21st : 

"  Yesterday,  at  one  o'clock,  her  Majesty  the 
Queen  of  Holland  was  safely  delivered  of  a 
prince.  In  conformity  with  Article  40,  of  the 
Act  of  the  Constitution  of  28  Floreal,  year 
12,  the  Chancellor  of  the  Empire  attested  the 
birth,  and  wrote  immediately  to  the  Emperor, 
the  Empress,  and  the  King  of  Holland,  to  com- 
municate the  intelligence.  At  five  o'clock  in 
the  evening,  the  act  of  birth  was  received  by 
the  arch  chancellor,  assisted  by  his  eminence, 
Reynault  de  St.  Jean  d'Angely,  minister  of  state 
and  state  secretary  of  the  Imperial  family.  In 
the  absence  of  the  Emperor,  the  new-born 
prince  has  not  yet  received  his  name.  This 
will  be  provided  for  by  an  ulterior  act,  accord- 
ing to  the  orders  of  his  Majesty." 

By  a  decree  of  the  Senate,  these  two  chil- 
dren of  Louis  Bonaparte  and  Hortense  were 
declared  heirs  to  the  Imperial  throne,  should 
Napoleon  and  his  elder  brother  Joseph  die 


1808.]    DIVORCE  OF  JOSEPHINE.       151 


Napoleon's  attachment  to  his  nephews. 


without  children.  This  decree  of  the  Senate 
was  submitted  to  the  acceptation  of  the  French 
people.  With  wonderful  unanimity  it  was 
adopted.  There  were  3,521,675  votes  in  the 
affirmative,  and  but  2599  in  the  negative. 

Napoleon  ever  manifested  the  deepest  inter- 
est in  these  two  children.  At  the  time  of  the 
birth  of  Louis  Napoleon  he  was  at  Bayonne, 
arranging  with  the  Spanish  princes  for  the 
transfer  of  the  crown  of  Spain  to  Joseph  Bo- 
naparte. Josephine  was  at  Bordeaux.  From 
this  interview  he  passed,  in  his  meteoric  flight, 
to  the  Congress  of  Kings  at  Erfurt,  but  a  few 
miles  from  the  battle-field  of  Jena.  -It  was 
here  that  the  celebrated  historian  Miiller  met 
the  Emperor  and  gave  the  following  testimo- 
ny as  to  the  impression  which  his  presence 
produced  upon  his  mind: 

"  Quite  impartially  and  truly,  as  before  God, 
I  must  say,  that  the  variety  of  his  knowledge, 
the  acuteness  of  his  observation,  the  solidity 
of  his  understanding,  filled  me  with  astonish- 
ment. His  manner  of  speaking  to  me  inspired 
me  with  love  for  him.  It  was  one  of  the  most 
remarkable  days  of  my  life.  By  his  genius 
and  his  disinterested  goodness  he  has  conquer- 
ed me  also," 


.152  HORTENSE.  [1809. 

Letter  from  Napoleon. 

Hortense,  with  a  saddened  spirit,  now  lived 
in  great  seclusion,  devoting  herself  almost  ex- 
clusively to  the  education  of  her  two  sons,  Na- 
poleon Louis  and  Louis  Napoleon.  Her  bodily 
health  was  feeble,  and  she  was  most  of  the 
time  deeply  dejected.  In  May,  1809,  Hortense, 
without  consulting  the  Emperor,  who  was  ab- 
sent in  Germany,  took  the  two  princes  with 
her  to  the  baths  of  Baden,  where  they  were 
exposed  to  the  danger  of  being  seized  and  held 
as  hostages  by  the  Austrians.  The  solicitude 
of  the  Emperor  for  them  may  be  seen  in  the 
following  letter : 

"  Ebersdorf,  May  28th,  1809. 

"MY  DAUGHTER, — I  arn  very  much  dis- 
pleased, (tres  mecontent)  that  you  should  have 
left  France  without  my  permission,  and  par- 
ticularly that  you  should  have  taken  my  neph- 
ews from  France.  Since  you  are  at  the  waters 
of  Baden,  remain  there.  But  in  one  hour  after 
the  reception  of  this  letter,  send  my  two  neph- 
ews to  Strasbourg,  near  to  the  Empress.  They 
ought  never  to  leave  France.  It  is  the  first  time 
that  I  have  had  occasion  to  be  dissatisfied  with 
you.  But  you  ought  not  to  dispose  of  my 
nephews  without  my  permission.  You  ought 


1809.]    DIVORCE   OF  JOSEPHINE.       158 


Josephine  to  Hortenee. 


to  perceive  the  mischievous  effects  which  that 
may  produce. 

"  Since  the  waters  of  Baden  are  beneficial  to 
you,  you  can  remain  there  some  days.  But  I 
repeat  to  you,  do  not  delay  for  a  moment  send- 
ing my  nephews  to  Strasbourg.  Should  the 
Empress  go  to  the  waters  of  Plombi&res  they 
can  accompany  her  there.  But  they  ought 
never  to  cross  the  bridge  of  Strasbourg.  Your 
affectionate  father,  NAPOLEON." 

This  letter  was  sent  to  Josephine  to  be  trans- 
mitted by  her  to  Hortense.  She  received  it  on 
the  first  of  June,  and  immediately  sent  it  to  her 
daughter,  with  a  letter  which  implies  that  Hor- 
tense had  already  anticipated  the  wishes  of  Na- 
poleon, and  had  sent  the  princes,  after  a  brief 
visit,  to  Josephine  at  Strasbourg.  Soon  after 
this  it  would  seem  that  little  Louis  Napoleon, 
who  was  evidently  the  favorite  of  his  grand- 
mother, perhaps  because  he  was  more  with  her, 
accompanied  Josephine  to  St.  Cloud.  About 
a  fortnight  after  this  she  wrote  to  Hortense  from 
that  palace : 

"I  am  happy  to  have  your  son  with  me. 
He  is  charming.  I  am  attached  to  him  more 
and  more,  in  thinking  he  will  be  a  solace  to 


154  HORTENSE.  [1809. 


Remarks  of  the  Duke  of  Rovigo. 


you.  His  little  reasons  amuse  me  much.  He 
grows  every  day,  and  his  complexion  is  very 
fine.  I  am  far  from  you,  but  I  frequently 
embrace  your  son,  and  love  to  imagine  to 
myself  that  it  is  my  dear  daughter  whom  I 
embrace." 

And  now  we  approach  that  almost  saddest 
of  earth's  tragedies,  the  divorce  of  Josephine — 
the  great  wrong  and  calamity  of  Napoleon's 
life.  The  event  had  so  important  a  bearing 
upon  the  character  and  the  destiny  of  Hortense 
as  to  demand  a  brief  recital  here. 

It  is  often  difficult  to  judge  of  the  motives  of 
human  actions ;  but  at  times  circumstances  are 
such  that  it  is  almost  impossible  to  misjudge 
the  causes  which  lead  to  conduct.  General 
Savary,  Duke  of  Eovigo,  the  intimate  personal 
friend  of  the  Emperor,  and  one  better  acquainted 
with  his  secret  thoughts  than  any  other  person, 
gives  the  following  account  of  this  momentous 
and  fatal  act : 

"  A  thousand  idle  stories  have  been  related 
concerning  the  Emperor's  motives  for  breaking 
the  bonds  he  had  contracted  upwards  of  fifteen 
years  before,  and  separating  from  one  who  was 
the  partner  of  his  life  during  the  most  stormy 
events  of  his  glorious  career.  It  was  ascribed 


1809.]    DIVORCE  OF  JOSEPHINE.       155 


Remarks  of  the  Duke  of  Kovigo. 


to  his  ambition  to  connect  himself  with  royal 
blood  ;  and  malevolence  has  delighted  in  spread- 
ing the  report  that  to  this  consideration  he  had 
sacrificed  every  other.  This  opinion  was  quite 
erroneous,  and  he  was  as  unfairly  dealt  with, 
upon  the  subject,  as  all  persons  are  who  hap- 
pen to  be  placed  above  the  level  of  mankind. 

"  Nothing  can  be  more  true  than  that  the 
sacrifice  of  the  object  of  his  affections  was  the 
most  painful  that  he  experienced  throughout 
his  life;  and  that  he  would  have  preferred 
adopting  any  course  than  the  one  to  which  he 
was  driven  by  the  motives  which  I  am  about 
to  relate.  Public  opinion  in  general  was  un- 
just to  the  Emperor,  when  he  placed  the  impe- 
rial crown  upon  his  head.  A  feeling  of  per- 
sonal ambition  was  supposed  to  be  the  main- 
spring of  all  his  actions.  This  was,  however, 
a  very  mistaken  impression.  I  have  already 
mentioned  with  what  reluctance  he  had  altered 
the  form  of  government,  and  that  if  he  had  not 
been  apprehensive  that  the  State  would  fall 
again  a  prey  to  those  dissensions  which  are  in 
separable  from  an  elective  form  of  government, 
he  would  not  have  changed  an  order  of  things 
which  appeared  to  have  been  the  first  solid 
conquest  achieved  by  the  revolution.  Ever 


156  iloKTEXSE.  [1809. 

Remarks  of  the  Duke  of  Rovigo. 

since  he  had  brought  back  the  nation  to  mo- 
narchical principles,  he  had  neglected  no  means 
of  consolidating  institutions  which  permanent- 
ly secured  those  principles,  and  yet  firmly  es- 
tablished the  superiority  of  modern  ideas  over 
antiquated  customs.  Differences  of  opinion 
could  no  longer  create  any  disturbance  respect- 
ing the  form  of  government,  when  his  career 
should  be  closed. 

"  But  this  was  not  enough.  It  was  further 
requisite  that  the  line  of  inheritance  should  be 
defined  in  so  clear  a  manner  that,  at  his  death, 
no  pretense  might  be  made  for  the  contention 
of  any  claimants  to  the  throne.  For  if  such  a 
misfortune  were  to  take  place,  the  least  foreign 
intervention  would  have  sufficed  to  revive  a 
spirit  of  discord  among  us.  This  feeling  of 
personal  ambition  consisted  in  this  case,  in  a 
desire  to  hand  his  work  down  to  posterity,  and 
to  resign  to  his  successor  a  state  resting  upon 
his  numerous  trophies  for  its  stability.  He 
could  not  have  been  blind  to  the  fact,  that  the 
perpetual  warfare  into  which  a  jealousy  of  his 
Strength  had  plunged  him,  had,  in  reality,  no 
ether  object  than  his  own  downfall,  because 
with  him  must  necessarily  crumble  that  gi- 
gantic power  which  was  no  longer  upheld  by 


1809.]    DIVORCE  OF  JOSEPHINE.       157 


Remarks  of  the  Duke  of  Rovigo. 


the  revolutionary  energy  he  himself  had  re- 
pressed. 

"  The  Emperor  had  not  any  children.  The 
Empress  had  two,  but  he  never  could  have  en- 
tertained a  thought  of  them  without  exposing 
himself  to  the  most  serious  inconveniences.  I 
believe,  however,  that  if  the  two  children  of 
Josephine  had  been  the  only  ones  in  his  fami- 
ly, he  would  have  made  some  arrangement  for 
securing  the  inheritance  to  Eugene.  He  how- 
•ever  dismissed  the  idea  of  appointing  him  his 
heir,  because  he  had  nearer  relations,  and  it 
would  have  given  rise  to  dissensions  which  it 
was  his  principal  object  to  avoid.  He  also  con- 
sidered the  necessity  in  which  he  was  placed 
of  forming  an  alliance  sufficiently  powerful,  in 
order  that,  in  the  event  of  his  system  being  at 
any  time  threatened,  that  alliance  might  be  a 
resting-point,  and  save  it  from  total  ruin.  He 
likewise  hoped  that  it  would  be  the  means  of 
putting  to  an  end  that  series  of  wars,  of  which 
he  was  desirous,  above  all  things,  to  avoid  a  re- 
currence. These  were  the  motives  which  deter- 
mined him  to  break  a  union  so  long  contraeted. 
He  wished  it  less  for  himself  than  for  the  pur- 
pose of  interesting  a  powerful  state  in  the 
maintenance  of  the  order  of  things  established 


158  HORTENSE.  [1809. 

Testimony  of  Cambaceres. 

in  France.  He  reflected  often  on  the  mode  of 
making  this  communication  to  the  Empress. 
Still  he  was  reluctant  to  speak  to  her.  He 
was  apprehensive  of  the  consequences  of  her 
tenderness  of  feeling.  His  heart  was  never 
proof  against  the  shedding  of  tears." 

The  arch -chancellor  Cambaceres  states  that 
Napoleon  communicated  to  him  the  resolution 
he  had  adopted  ;  alluded  to  the  reasons  for  the 
divorce,  spoke  of  the  anguish  which  the  stern, 
necessity  caused  his  affections,  and  declared  his 
intention  to  invest  the  act  with  forms  the  most  af- 
fectionate and  the  most  honorable  to  Josephine. 

"  I  will  have  nothing  "  said  he,  "  which  can 
resemble  a  repudiation ;  nothing  but  a  mere 
dissolution  of  the  conjugal  tie,  founded  upon 
mutual  consent ;  a  consent  itself  founded  upon 
the  interests  of  the  empire.  Josephine  is  to  be 
provided  with  a  palace  in  Paris,  with  a  prince- 
ly residence  in  the  country  with  an  income  of 
six  hundred  thousand  dollars,  and  is  to  occupy 
the  first  rank  among  the  princesses,  after  the 
future  Empress.  I  wish  ever  to  keep  her  near 
me  as  my  best  and  most  affectionate  friend." 

Josephine  was  in  some  degree  aware  of  the 
doom  which  was  impending,  and  her  heart  was 
consumed  by  unmitigated  grief.  Hortense, 


1809.]    DIVORCE  OF  JOSEPHINE.       159 


The  dreadful  announcement. 


who  also  was  heart-stricken  and  world-weary, 
was  entreated  by  the  Emperor  to  prepare  her 
mother  for  the  sad  tidings.  She  did  so,  but 
very  imperfectly.  At  last  the  fatal  hour  ar- 
rived in  which  it  was  necessary  for  the  Empe- 
ror to  make  the  dreaded  announcement  to  the 
Empress.  They  were  both  at  Fontainebleau, 
and  Hortense  was  with  her  mother.  For  some 
time  there  had  been  much  constraint  in  the  in- 
tercourse between  the  Emperor  and  Empress; 
he  dreading  to  make  the  cruel  communication, 
and  her  heart  lacerated  with  anguish  in  the  ap- 
prehension of  receiving  it. 

It  was  the  last  day  of  November,  1809,  cold 
and  cheerless.  Napoleon  and  Josephine  dined 
alone  in  silence,  not  a  word  being  spoken  dur- 
ing the  repast.  At  the  close  of  the  meal,  Na- 
poleon, pale  and  trembling,  took  the  hand  of 
the  Empress  and  said : 

"Josephine,  my  own  good  Josephine,  you 
know  how  I  have  loved  you.  It  is  to  you 
alone  that  I  owe  the  few  moments  of  happiness 
I  have  known  in  the  world.  Josephine,  my 
destiny  is  stronger  than  my  will.  My  dearest 
affections  must  yield  to  the  welfare  of  France." 

All-expected  as  the  blow  was,  it  was  none 
the  less  dreadful.  Josephine  fell,  apparently 


160  HORTENSE.  [1809. 


Anguish  of  the  Imperial  family. 


lifeless,  to  the  floor.  The  Count  de  Beaumont 
was  immediately  summoned,  and,  with  the  aid 
of  Napoleon,  conveyed  Josephine  to  her  apart- 
ment Hortense  came  at  once  to  her  mother, 
whom  she  loved  so  tenderly.  The  anguish  oC 
the  scene  overcame  her.  In  respectful,  though 
reproachful  tones,  she  said  to  the  Emperor, 
"  My  mother  will  descend  from  the  throne,  as 
she  ascended  it,  in  obedience  to  your  will. 
Her  children,  content  to  renounce  grandeurs 
which  have  not  made  them  happy,  will  gladly 
go  and  devote  their  lives  to  comforting  the 
best  and  the  most  affectionate  of  mothers." 

Napoleon  was  entirely  overcome.  He  sat 
down  and  wept  bitterly.  Eaising  his  eyes 
swimming  in  tears  to  his  daughter,  he  said : 

"  Do  not  leave  me,  Hortense.  Stay  by  me 
with  Eugene.  Help  me  to  console  your  moth- 
er and  render  her  calm,  resigned,  and  even  hap- 
py in  remaining  my  friend,  while  she  ceases  to 
be  my  wife." 

Eugene  was  summoned  from  Italy.  Upon 
his  arrival  his  sister  threw  herself  into  his  arms, 
and,  after  a  brief  interview  of  mutual  anguish, 
led  him  to  their  beloved  mother.  After  a  short 
interview  with  her,  he  repaired  to  the  cabinet 
of  the  Emperor.  In  respectful  terms,  but  firm 


1809.]   DIVOKCE  OF  JOSEPHINE.       161 


Noble  conduct  of  Eugene. 


and  very  sad,  he  inquired  if  Napoleon  intended 
to  obtain  a  divorce  from  the  Empress.  Napo- 
leon, who  tenderly  loved  his  noble  son,  could 
only  reply  with  the  pressure  of  the  hand.  Eu- 
gene immediately  recoiled  and,  withdrawing  his 
hand,  said : 

"  In  that  case,  Sire,  permit  me  to  retire  from 
your  service." 

"  How,"  exclaimed  Napoleon,  looking  sadly 
upon  him.  "  Will  you,  my  adopted  son,  for- 
sake me  ?" 

"  Yes,  Sire,"  Eugene  replied.  "  The  son  of 
her  who  is  no  longer  Empress,  can  not  remain 
viceroy.  I  will  follow  my  mother  into  her  re- 
treat. She  must  now  find  her  consolation  in 
her  children." 

Tears  filled  the  eyes  of  the  Emperor.  "  You 
know,"  said  he,  "  the  stern  necessity  which 
compels  this  measure.  Will  you  forsake  me? 
Who  then,  should  I  have  a  son,  the  object  of 
my  desires  and  preserver  of  my  interests,  who> 
will  watch  over  the  child  when  I  am  absent? 
If  I  die,  who  will  prove  to  him  a  father  ?  Who 
will  bring  him  up?  Who  is  to  make  a  man 
of  him?" 

Napoleon  and  Eugene  then  retired  to  the 
garden,  and  for  a  long  time  walked,  arm  in  arm, 
3—11 


i62  HORTENSE.  [1809. 

The  divorce. 

up  and  down  one  of  its  avenues,  engaged  in 
earnest  conversation.  Josephine,  with  a  moth- 
er's love,  could  not  forget  the  interests  of  her 
children,  even  in  her  own  anguish. 

"  The  Emperor,"  she  said  to  Eugene,  "  is 
your  benefactor,  your  more  than  father;  to 
whom  you  are  indebted  for  every  thing,  and  to 
whom  theiefore  you  owe  boundless  obedience." 

A  fortnight  passed  away  and  the  15th  of 
December  arrived ;  the  day  appointed  for  the 
consummation  of  this  cruel  sacrifice.  The  af- 
fecting scene  transpired  in  the  grand  saloon  of 
the  palace  of  the  Tuileries.  All  the  member* 
of  the  imperial  family  were  present.  Eugene 
and  Hortense  were  with  their  mother,  sus- 
taining her  with  their  sympathy  and  love.  An 
extreme  pallor  overspread  the  countenance  of 
Napoleon,  as  he  addressed  the  assembled  digni- 
taries of  the  empire. 

"  The  political  interests  of  my  monarchy," 
said  he,  "  and  the  wishes  of  my  people,  which 
have  constantly  guided  my  actions,  require  that 
I  should  transmit  to  an  heir,  inheriting  my 
love  for  the  people,  the  throne  on  which  Prov- 
idence has  placed  me.  For  many  years  I  have 
lost  all  hope  of  having  children  by  my  beloved 
spouse  the  Empress  Josephine.  It  is  this  con- 


1809.]    DIVORCE  OF  JOSEPHINE.       163 


The  ecene  of  the  divorce. 


sideration  which  induces  me  to  sacrifice  the 
dearest  affections  of  my  heart,  to  consult  only 
the  good  of  my  subjects,  and  to  desire  the  disso- 
lution of  our  marriage.  Arrived  at  the  age  of 
forty  years,  I  may  indulge  the  reasonable  hope 
of  living  long  enough  to  rear,  in  the  spirit  of 
my  own  thoughts  and  disposition,  the  children 
with  which  it  may  please  Providence  to  bless- 
me.  God  knows  how  much  such  a  determi* 
nation  has  cost  my  heart.  But  there  is  no  sac- 
rifice too  great  for  my  courage  when  it  is 
proved  to  be  for  the  interest  of  France.  Far 
from  having  any  cause  of  complaint,  I  have 
nothing  to  say  but  in  praise  of  the  attachment 
and  tenderness  of  my  beloved  wife.  She  has 
embellished  fifteen  years  of  my  life,  and  the  re- 
membrance of  them  will  be  forever  engraven 
on  my  heart.  She  was  crowned  by  my  hand. 
She  shall  always  retain  the  rank  and  title  of 
Empress.  Above  all,  let  her  never  doubt  my 
affection,  or  regard  me  but  as  her  best  and  dear- 
est  friend." 

Josephine  now  endeavored  to  fulfill  her  part 
in  this  sad  drama.  Unfolding  a  paper,  she 
vainly  strove  to  read  her  assent  to  the  divorce. 
But  tears  blinded  her  eyes  and  emotion  choked 
her  voice.  Handing  the  paper  to  a  friend  and 


164  HOKTENSE.  [1809. 

The  sceue  of  the  divorce. 

eobbing  aloud,  she  sank  into  a  chair  and  buried 
her  face  in  her  handkerchief.  Her  friend,  M. 
Reynaud,  read  the  paper,  which  was  as  follows : 
"  With  the  permission  of  my  august  and 
dear  spouse,  I  must  declare  that,  retaining  no 
hope  of  having  children  who  may  satisfy  the 
requirements  of  his  policy  and  the  interests  of 
France,  I  have  the  pleasure  of  giving  him  the 
greatest  proof  of  attachment  and  devotedness 
which  was  ever  given  on  earth.  I  owe  all  to 
his  bounty.  It  was  his  hand  that  crowned  me, 
and  on  his  throne  I  have  received  only  mani- 
festations of  love  and  affection  from  the  French 
people.  I  respond  to  all  the  sentiments  of  the 
Emperor,  in  consenting  to  the  dissolution  of  a 
marriage  which  is  now  an  obstacle  to  the  hap- 
piness of  France,  by  depriving  it  of  the  blessing 
of  being  one  day  governed  by  the  descendants 
of  that  great  man  who  was  evidently  raised  up 
by  Providence  to  efface  the  evils  of  a  terrible 
revolution,  and  to  restore  the  altar,  the  throne, 
and  social  order.  But  the  dissolution  of  my 
marriage  will  in  no  respect  change  the  senti- 
ments of  my  heart.  The  Emperor  will  ever 
find  in  me  his  best  friend.  I  know  how  much 
this  act,  commanded  by  policy  and  exalted  in- 
terests, has  rent  his  heart.  But  we  both  glory 


THE    DIVORCE    ANNOUNCED. 


1809.]   DIVORCE  OF  JOSEPHINE.      167 


The  legal  consummation. 


in  the  sacrifices  we  make  for  the  good  of  the 
•country." 

"  After  these  words,"  says  Thiers,  "  the  no- 
blest ever  uttered  under  such  circumstances — 
for  never,  it  must  be  confessed,  did  vulgar  pas- 
sions less  prevail  in  an  act  of  this  kind — Na- 
poleon, embracing  Josephine,  led  her  to  her 
own  apartment,  where  he  left  her,  almost  faint- 
ing, in  the  arms  of  her  children." 

The  next  day  the  Senate  was  convened  in 
the  grand  saloon  to  sanction  the  legal  consum- 
mation of  the  divorce.  Eugene  presided.  As 
he  announced  the  desire  of  the  Emperor  and 
Empress  for  the  dissolution  of  their  marriage, 
he  said  :  "  The  tears  of  his  Majesty  at  this  sep- 
aration are  sufficient  for  the  glory  of  my  moth- 
er." The  description  of  the  remaining  scenes 
of  this  cruel  tragedy  we  repeat  from  "  Abbott's 
Life  of  Napoleon." 

"  The  Emperor,  dressed  in  the  robes  of  state, 
and  pale  as  a  statue  of  marble,  leaned  against 
a  pillar,  careworn  and  wretched.  Folding  his 
arms  upon  his  breast,  with  his  eyes  fixed  upon 
vacancy,  he  stood  in  gloomy  silence.  It  was 
a  funereal  scene.  The  low  hum  of  mournful 
voices  alone  disturbed  the  stillness  of  the  room. 
A  circular  table  was  placed  in  the  centre  of  the 


168  HORTENSE.  [180ft, 

The  scene  of  the  divorce. 

apartment.  Upon  it  there  was  a  writing  ap- 
paratus of  gold.  A  vacant  arm-chair  stood 
before  the  table.  The  company  gazed  silently 
upon  it  as  the  instrument  of  the  most  soul-har- 
rowing execution. 

"A  side  door  opened,  and  Josephine  entered. 
Her  face  was  as  white  as  the  simple  muslin 
robe  which  she  wore.  She  was  leaning  upon 
the  arm  of  Hortense,  who,  not  possessing  the 
fortitude  of  her  mother,  was  sobbing  convul- 
sively. The  whole  assembly,  upon  the  en- 
trance of  Josephine,  instinctively  arose.  All 
were  moved  to  tears.  With  her  own  peculiar 
grace,  Josephine  advanced  to  the  seat  provided 
for  her.  Leaning  her  pale  forehead  upon  her 
hand,  she  listened  with  the  calmness  of  stupor 
to  the  reading  of  the  act  of  separation.  The 
convulsive  sobbings  of  Hortense,  mingled  with 
the  subdued  and  mournful  tones  of  the  reader's 
voice,  added  to  the  tragic  impressiveness  of  the 
scene.  Eugene,  pale  and  trembling,  stepped 
forward  and  took  a  position  by  the  side  of  his 
adored  mother,  to  give  her  the  moral  support 
of  his  near  presence. 

"  As  soon  as  the  reading  of  the  act  of  separa- 
tion was  finished,  Josephine,  for  a  moment,  in 
anguish  pressed  her  handkerchief  to  her 


1809.]    DIVORCE  OF  JOSEPHINE. 


Josephine,  Eugene,  Hortenae. 


and  rising,  in  tones  clear,  musical,  but  tremulous 
with  repressed  emotion,  pronounced  the  oath 
of  acceptance.  She  sat  down,  took  the  pen, 
and  affixed  her  signature  to  the  deed  which 
sundered  the  dearest  hopes  and  the  fondest  ties 
which  human  hearts  can  feel.  Eugene  could 
•endure  this  anguish  no  longer.  His  brain 
reeled,  his  heart  ceased  to  beat,  and  fainting, 
he  fell  senseless  to  the  floor.  Josephine  and 
Hortense  retired,  with  the  attendants  who  bore 
out  the  inanimate  form  of  the  affectionate  son 
and  brother.  It  was  a  fitting  termination  of 
the  heart-rending  yet  sublime  tragedy. 

"Josephine  remained  in  her  chamber  over- 
whelmed with  speechless  grief.  A  sombre 
night  darkened  over  the  city,  oppressed  by  the 
gloom  of  this  cruel  sacrifice.  The  hour  arrived 
at  which  Napoleon  usually  retired  for  sleep. 
The  Emperor,  restless  and  wretched,  had  just 
placed  himself  in  the  bed  from  which  he  had 
ejected  his  faithful  and  devoted  wife,  when  the 
private  door  of  his  chamber  was  slowly  opened, 
and  Josephine  tremblingly  entered. 

"Her  eyes  were  swollen  with  weeping,  her 
hair  disordered,  and  she  appeared  in  all  the 
dishabille  of  unutterable  anguish.  Hardly 
conscious  of  what  she  did,  in  the  delirium  of 


170  HORTENSE.  [1809. 

Affecting  interview. 

her  woe,  she  tottered  into  the  middle  of  the 
room  and  approached  the  bed  of  her  former  hus- 
band. Then  irresolutely  stopping,  she  buried 
her  face  in  her  hands  and  burst  into  a  flood  of 
tears. 

"  A  feeling  of  delicacy  seemed,  for  a  moment, 
to  have  arrested  her  steps  —  a  consciousness 
that  she  had  now  no  right  to  enter  the  cham- 
ber of  Napoleon.  In  another  moment  all  the 
pent-up  love  of  her  heart  burst  forth,  and  for- 
getting every  thing  in  the  fullness  of  her  an- 
guish, she  threw  herself  upon  the  bed,  clasped 
Napoleon's  neck  in  her  arms,  and  exclaiming, 
'My  husband!  my  husband!'  sobbed  as  though 
her  heart  were  breaking.  The  imperial  spirit 
of  Napoleon  was  entirely  vanquished.  He 
also  wept  convulsively.  He  assured  Josephine 
of  his  love — of  his  ardent,  undying  love.  In 
every  way  he  tried  to  soothe  and  comfort  her. 
For  some  time  they  remained  locked  in  each 
other's  embrace.  The  valet-de-chambre,  who 
was  still  present,  was  dismissed,  and  for  an 
hour  Napoleon  and  Josephine  continued  to- 
gether in  this  their  last  private  interview. 
Josephine  then,  in  the  experience  of  an  in- 
tensity of  anguish  such  as  few  human  hearts 
have  ever  known,  parted  forever  from  the  hus- 


1809.]   DIVORCE  OF   JOSEPHINE.      171 


Grief  of  Napoleon. 


band  whom  she  had  so  long  and  so  faithfully 
loved." 

Josephine  having  withdrawn,  an  attendant 
entered  the  apartment  to  remove  the  lights. 
He  found  the  Emperor  so  buried  beneath  the 
bedclothes  as  to  be  invisible.  Not  a  word 
was  uttered.  The  lights  were  removed,  and 
the  unhappy  monarch  was  left  alone  in  dark- 
ness and  silence  to  the  melancholy  companion- 
ship of  his  own  thoughts.  The  next  morning 
the  death-like  pallor  of  his  cheek,  his  sunken 
eye,  and  the  haggard  expression  of  his  counte- 
nance, attested  that  the  Emperor  had  passed 
the  night  in  sleeplessness  and  in  suffering. 

The  grief  of  Napoleon  was  unquestionably 
sincere.  It  could  not  but  be  so.  He  was  in- 
fluenced by  no  vagrant  passion.  He  had 
formed  no  new  attachment.  He  truly  loved 
Josephine.  He  consequently  resolved  to  re- 
tire for  a  time  to  the  seclusion  of  Trianon,  at 
Versailles.  He  seemed  desirous  that  the  ex- 
ternals of  mourning  should  accompany  an 
event  so  mournful. 

"  The  orders  for  the  departure  for  Trianon," 
writes  the  Baron  Meneval,  Napoleon's  private 
secretary,  "  had  been  previously  given.  When 
in  the  morning  the  Emperor  was  informed 


172  HORTENSE.  [1809. 

Testimony  of  Bui-cm  MenevaL. 

that  his  carriages  were  ready,  he  took  his  hat 
and  said,  'Meneval,  come  with  me.'  I  follow- 
ed him  by  the  little  winding  staircase  which, 
from  his  cabinet,  communicated  with  the 
apartment  of  the  Empress.  Josephine  was 
alone,  and  appeared  absorbed  in  the  most  mel- 
ancholy reflections.  At  the  noise  which  we 
made  in  entering,  she  eagerly  rose  and  threw 
herself  sobbing  upon  the  neck  of  the  Emperor. 
He  pressed  her  to  his  bosom  with  the  most  ar- 
dent embraces. 

"  In  the  excess  of  her  emotion  she  fainted. 
I  rang  the  bell  for  succor.  The  Emperor 
wishing  to  avoid  the  renewal  of  scenes  of  an- 
guish which  he  could  no  longer  alleviate, 
placed  the  Empress  in  my  arms  as  soon  as  she 
began  to  revive.  Directing  me  not  to  leave 
her,  he  hastily  retired  to  his  carriage  which 
was  waiting  for  him  at  the  door.  The  Em- 
press, perceiving  the  departure  of  the  Emperor, 
redoubled  her  tears  and  moans.  Her  women, 
placed  her  upon  a  sofa.  She  seized  my  handsr 
and  frantically  urged  me  to  entreat  Napoleon 
not  to  forget  her,  and  to  assure  him  that  her 
love  would  survive  every  event. 

"  She  made  me  promise  to  write  her  imme- 
diately on  my  arrival  at  Trianon,  and  to  SQ& 


1809.]    DIVORCE  OF  JOSEPHINE.       173. 


Letter  from  Napoleon  to  Josephine. 


that  the  Emperor  wrote  to  her  also.  She 
could  hardly  consent  to  let  me  go,  as  if  my  de- 
parture "would  break  the  last  tie  which  still 
sonnected  her  with  the  Emperor.  I  left  her, 
deeply  moved  by  the  exhibition  of  a  grief 
so  true  and  an  attachment  so  sincere.  I  was 
profoundly  saddened  during  my  ride,  and  I 
could  not  refrain  from  deploring  the  rigorous 
exigencies  of  state  which  rudely  sundered  the 
ties  of  a  long-tried  affection,  to  impose  another 
union  offering  only  uncertainties.  Having  ar- 
rived at  Trianon,  I  gave  the  Emperor  a  faith- 
ful account  of  all  that  had  transpired  after  his 
departure.  He  was  still  oppressed  by  the  mel- 
ancholy scenes  through  which  he  had  passed. 
He  dwelt  upon  the  noble  qualities  of  Jose- 
phine, and  upon  the  sincerity  of  the  affection 
which  she  cherished  for  him.  He  ever  after 
preserved  for  her  the  most  tender  attachment. 
The  same  evening  he  wrote  to  her  a  letter  to 
console  her  solitude."  The  letter  was  as  fol- 
lows: 

"  My  love,  I  found  you  to-day  more  feeble 
than  you.  ought  to  be.  You  have  exhibited 
much  fortitude,  and  it  is  necessary  that  you 
should  still  continue  to  sustain  yourself.  You 
must  not  yield  to  funereal  melancholy.  Strive 


174  HORTENSE.  [1809. 


The  retirement  of  Josephine. 


to  be  tranquil,  and,  above  all,  to  preserve  your 
health,  which  is  so  precious  to  me.  If  you  are 
attached  to  me,  if  you  love  me,  you  must 
maintain  your  energy  and  strive  to  be  cheer- 
ful. You  can  not  doubt  my  constancy  and 
my  tender  affection.  You  know  too  well  all 
the  sentiments  with  which  I  regard  you  to 
suppose  that  I  can  be  happy  if  you  are  unhap- 
py, that  I  can  be  serene  if  you  are  agitated. 
Adieu,  my  love.  Sleep  well.  Believe  that  I 
-wish  it.  NAPOLEON." 

After  the  departure  of  the  Emperor,  at  elev« 
en  o'clock  in  the  morning  all  the  household  of 
the  Tuileries  were  assembled  upon  the  grand 
staircase,  to  witness  the  retirement  of  their  be- 
loved mistress  from  the  scenes  where  she  had 
so  long  been  the  brightest  ornament.  Jose- 
phine descended  from  her  apartment  veiled 
from  head  to  foot.  Her  emotions  were  too 
•deep  for  utterance.  Silently  she  waved  an 
adieu  to  the  affectionate  and  weeping  friends 
who  surrounded  her.  A  close  carriage  with 
six  horses  was  before  the  door.  She  entered 
it,  sank  back  upon  the  cushions,  buried  her 
face  in  her  handkerchief,  and,  sobbing  bitterly, 
left  the  Tuileries  forever. 


1809.]    DIVORCE  OF  JOSEPHINE.       175 


Josephine  at  Malmaison. 


After  the  divorce,  Josephine  spent  most  of 
her  time  at  the  beautiful  chateau  of  Malmaisonr 
which  had  been  assigned  to  her,  or  at  the  pal- 
ace of  Navarre,  which  was  embellished  for  her 
at  an  expense  of  two  hundred  thousand  dollars.. 
She  retained  the  title  of  Empress,  and  received 
a  jointure  of  about  six  hundred  thousand  dol- 
lars a  year.  Almost  daily  letters  were  ex- 
changed between  her  and  the  Emperor,  and  he- 
frequently  visited  her.  But  from  motives  of 
delicacy  he  never  saw  her  alone.  We  know 
of  nothing  more  pathetic  in  history  than  the- 
gleams  we  get  of  these  interviews,  as  revealed 
in  the  "Confidential  letters  of  Napoleon  and 
Josephine,"  whose  publication  was  authorized 
by  Queen  Hortense,  after  the  death  of  her 
mother.  Josephine,  in  the  following  words, 
describes  one  of  these  interviews  at  Malmaison. 
It  was  after  the  marriage  with  Maria  Louisa. 

"  I  was  one  day  painting  a  violet,  a  flower 
which  recalled  to  my  memory  my  more  happy 
days,  when  one  of  my  women  ran  towards  me- 
and  made  a  sign  by  placing  her  finger  upon 
her  lips.  The  next  moment  I  was  overpow- 
ered— I  beheld  Napoleon.  He  threw  himself 
with  transport  into  the  arms  of  his  old  friend, 
Oh,  then  I  was  convinced  that  he  could  still 


176  HORTENSE.  [1809. 

Interview  between  Napoleon  and  Josephine. 

love  me ;  for  that  man  really  loved  me.  It 
seemed  impossible  for  him  to  cease  gazing 
upon  me,  and  his  look  was  that  of  tender  af- 
fection. At  length,  in  a  tone  of  deepest  com- 
passion and  love,  he  said : 

"  '  My  dear  Josephine,  I  have  always  loved 
you.  I  love  you  still.  Do  you  still  love  me, 
excellent  and  good  Josephine  ?  Do  you  still 
love  me,  in  spite  of  the  relations  I  have  again 
contracted,  and  which  have  separated  me  from 
you  ?  But  they  have  not  banished  you  from 
my  memory.' 

"  '  Sire,'  I  replied— 

"  '  Call  me  Bonaparte,'  said  he ;  '  speak  to 
me,  my  beloved,  with  the  same  freedom,  the 
same  familiarity  as  ever/ 

"Bonaparte  soon  disappeared,  and  I  heard 
only  the  sound  of  his  retiring  footsteps.  Oh, 
how  quickly  does  every  thing  take  place  on 
earth.  I  had  once  more  felt  the  pleasure  of 
being  loved." 

In  reference  to  this  melancholy  event,  Na- 
poleon said,  at  Saint  Helena  : 

"  My  divorce  has  no  parallel  in  history.  It 
did  not  destroy  the  ties  which  united  our  fami- 
lies, and  our  mutual  tenderness  remained  un- 
changed. Our  separation  was  a  sacrifice,  de« 


1809.]    DIVORCE  OF  JOSEPHINE.       177 


Napoleon's  remarks  on  his  divorce. 


manded  of  us  by  reason,  for  the  interests  of  my 
crown  and  of  my  dynasty.  Josephine  was  de- 
voted to  me.  She  loved  me  tenderly.  No  one 
ever  had  a  preference  over  me  in  her  heart.  I 
occupied  the  first  place  in  it,  her  children  the 
next.  She  was  right  in  thus  loving  me ;  and 
the  remembrance  of  her  is  still  all-powerful  in 
my  mind.  Josephine  was  really  an  amiable 
woman :  she  was  so  kind,  so  humane.  She 
was  the  best  woman  in  France. 

"A  son,  by  Josephine,  would  have  completed 
my  happiness,  not  only  in  a  political  point  of 
view,  but  as  a  source  of  domestic  felicity.  As 
a  political  result  it  would  have  secured  to  me 
the  possession  of  the  throne.  The  French  peo- 
ple would  have  been  as  much  attached  to  the 
son  of  Josephine  as  they  were  to  the  King  of 
Borne,  and  I  should  not  have  set  my  foot  on 
an  abyss  covered  with  a  bed  of  flowers.  But 
how  vain  are  all  human  calculations!  Who 
can  pretend  to  decide  on  what  may  lead  to 
happiness  or  unhappiness  in  this  life !" 

The  divorce  of  Josephine,  strong  as  were  the 
political  motives  which  led  to  it,  was  a  viola- 
tion of  the  immutable  laws  of  God.  Like  all 
wrong-doing,  however  seemingly  prosperous 
for  a  time,  it  promoted  final  disaster  and  woe. 

3—12 


178  HORTENS^.  [1809. 

Sin  of  the  divorce. 

Doubtless  Napoleon,  educated  in  the  midst  of 
those  convulsions  which  had  shaken  all  the 
foundations  of  Christian  morality,  did  not  clear- 
ly perceive  the  extent  of  the  wrong.  He  un- 
questionably felt  that  he  was  doing  right ;  that 
the  interests  of  France  demanded  the  sacrifice. 
But  the  penalty  was  none  the  less  inevitable. 
The  laws  of  God  can  not  be  violated  with  im- 
punity, even  though  the  violation  be  a  sin  of 
ignorance. 


1810.]      DEATH  OF  JOSEPHINE.         179 

Marriage  of  Napoleon  and  Maria  Louisa. 


CHAPTER  VI. 
THE  DEATH  OF  JOSEPHINE. 

FROM  the  sad  scenes  described  in  the  last 
chapter,  Eugene  returned  to  Italy.  Hor- 
tense,  in  the  deepest  state  of  dejection,  remain- 
ed for  a  short  time  in  Paris,  often  visiting  her 
mother  at  Malmaison.  About  five  months  af- 
ter the  divorce,  Napoleon  was  again  married 
to  Maria  Louisa,  daughter  of  the  Emperor 
of  Austria.  The  marriage  ceremony  was  first 
celebrated  with  great  pomp  in  Vienna,  Napo- 
poleon  being  represented  by  proxy ;  and  again 
the  ceremony  was  repeated  in  Paris.  It  de- 
volved upon  Hortense,  as  the  daughter  of  Na- 
poleon, and  the  most  prominent  lady  of  his 
household,  to  receive  with  smiles  of  welcome 
and  cordiality  of  greeting  the  princess  who 
took  the  place  of  her  mother.  Seldom  has  it 
been  the  lot  of  a  woman  to  pass  through  a 
more  painful  ordeal.  Josephine,  that  she 
might  be  far  removed  from  the  tumult  of  Par- 
is, rejoicing  upon  the  arrival  of  Maria  Louisa, 
retired  from  Malmaison  to  the  more  distant 


180  HORTENSE.  [1810. 

Hortense  goes  to  Navarre. 

palace  of  Navarre.  Soon  after  the  marriage, 
Hortense  hastened  to  join  her  mother  there. 
There  was  at  this  time  but  little  sympathy  be- 
tween Hortense  and  her  husband.  The  power 
of  a  great  sorrow  in  the  death  of  their  eldest 
son  had  for  a  short  time  brought  them  more 
closely  together.  There  was,  however,  but  lit- 
tle compatibility  in  their  tastes  and  disposi- 
tions; and  Hortense,  deeming  it  her  duty  to 
comfort  her  mother,  and  finding  more  congeni- 
ality in  her  society  than  in  that  of  her  hus- 
band, made  but  brief  visits  to  Holland. 

It  is  easy  for  the  prosperous  and  the  happy 
to  be  amiable.  Hortense  was  in  a  state  of 
great  physical  debility,  and  almost  every  hope 
of  her  life  had  been  crushed  out.  The  letters 
of  Hortense  to  Josephine  have  not  been  made 
public.  We  can  only  judge  of  their  character 
from  the  replies  which  her  mother  made. 
From  these  it  would  appear  that  scarcely  did 
a  ray  of  joy  illumine  the  gloomy  path  which 
she  was  destined  to  tread.  On  the  4th  of 
April,  1810,  Josephine  wrote  to  Hortense  from 
Navarre : 

"  I  am  touched,  my  dear  Hortense,  with  all 
the  griefs  which  you  experience.  I  hope  that 
there  is  no  more  question  of  your  return  to 


1810.]      DEATH  OF  JOSEPHINE.        181 


Letter  from  Josephine. 


Holland,  and  that  you  will  have  a  little  repose. 
I  know  how  much  you  must  suffer  from  these 
disappointments,  but  I  entreat  you  not  to  allow 
yourself  to  be  affected  by  them.  As  long  as 
any  thing  remains  to  me  you  shall  be  mistress 
of  your  destiny;  grief  and  happiness — you 
know  that  I  share  all  with  you. 

"  Take,  then,  a  little  courage,  my  dear  daugh- 
ter. We  both  of  us  have  much  need  of  it. 
Often  mine  is  too  feeble,  and  sorrow  makes  me- 
sick.  But  I  seek  fortitude  all  the  time,  and 
with  my  utmost  efforts." 

Soon  after  this  Hortense,  taking  her  two 
children  with  her,  rejoined  her  husband,  King 
Louis,  in  Holland.  Josephine  wrote  to  her  on 
the  10th  of  May,  from  Navarre : 

"  I  have  received  your  letter,  my  dear  Hor- 
tense, and  I  see,  with  much  pain,  that  your 
health  is  not  good.  I  hope  that  repose  will 
re-establish  it;  and  I  can  not  doubt  that  the 
king  will  contribute  to  it  every  thing  in  his 
power,  by  his  attentions  and  his  attachments. 
Every  day  will  lead  him  to  see  more  and  more 
how  much  you  merit.  Take  care  of  yourself, 
my  dear  daughter;  you  know  how  much  I 
have  need  of  you.  My  heart  has  suffered  to- 
a  degree  which  has  somewhat  impaired  rny 


182  HORTENSE.  [1810 


Letter  from  Josephine. 


health.  But  fortitude  triumphs  over  sorrow, 
and  I  begin  to  be  a  little  better." 

Again,  on  the  15th,  the  Empress  wrote  to 
Hortense,  who  was  still  in  Amsterdam: 

"  I  have  been  extremely  anxious  on  account 
of  your  health,  my  dear  Hortense.  I  know 
that  you  have  experienced  several  attacks  of 
fever,  and  I  have  need  to  be  tranquilized. 

"Your  letter  of  the  10th  has  just  reached  me, 
but  it  has  not  given  me  the  consolation  I  had 
hoped  for.  I  see  in  it  an  abandonment  of 
yourself,  which  gives  me  great  pain.  How 
many  ties  are  there  which  should  bind  you  to 
life!  And  if  you  have  so  little  affection  for 
me,  is  it  then,  when  I  am  no  longer  happy, 
that  you  can  think,  with  so  much  tranquillity, 
of  leaving  me  ? 

"  Take  courage,  my  daughter,  and  especially 
be  careful  of  your  health.  I  am  confident,  as 
I  have  already  sent  you  word,  that  the  waters 
which  have  been  prescribed  for  you  will  do 
you  good.  Speak  of  it  to  the  king  with  frank- 
ness. He  certainly  will  not  refuse  you  any 
thing  which  may  be  essential  to  your  health. 
I  am  making  all  my  arrangements  to  go  to 
the  springs  in  the  month  of  June.  But  I  do 
not  think  that  I  shall  go  to  Aix-la-Chapelle, 


1810.J     DEATH  OF  JOSEPHINE.         183 


Letter  from  Josephine. 


but  rather  to  Aix  in  Savoy,  which  place  I  pre- 
fer. 

"Diversion  of  mind  is  necessary  for  my 
health,  and  I  have  more  hope  of  finding  that 
in  a  place  which  I  have  never  seen,  and  whose 
situation  is  picturesque.  The  waters  of  Aix 
are  particularly  efficacious  for  the  nerves.  I 
earnestly  recommend  you  to  take  them  instead 
of  those  of  Plombieres.  We  can  pass  the  time 
together.  Reply  to  me  immediately  upon  this 
subject.  We  can  lodge  together.  It  will  not 
be  necessary  for  you  to  take  many  companions 
with  you.  I  shall  take  but  very  few,  intend- 
ing to  travel  incognito.  To-morrow  I  go  to 
Malmaison,  where  I  shall  remain  until  I  leave 
for  the  springs.  I  see  with  pleasure  that  the 
health  of  Louis  Napoleon  is  good,  and  that  he 
has  not  suffered  from  the  change  of  air.  Em- 
brace him  for  me,  my  dear  Hortense,  and  love 
me  as  tenderly  as  I  love  you. 

"  JOSEPHINE. 

"  P.  S. — Remember  me  to  the  king." 

For  some  unexplained  reason,  Hortense  re- 
paired first  to  the  waters  of  Plombieres.  Her 
youngest  son,  Louis  Napoleon,  was  sent  to 
Malmaison,  to  be  with  Josephine,  who  so  fondly 


184  HORTENSE.  [1810. 

Letter  from  Josephine. 

loved  the  child  that  she  was  quite  unwilling 
to  be  separated  from  him.  Hortense  took  her 
elder  child,  Napoleon  Louis,  with  her  to  the 
springs.  Here  she  was  taken  very  sick.  On 
the  14th  of  June  Josephine  wrote  her  from 
Malmaison : 

"I  did  not  know  how  much  you  had  suffer- 
ed, my  dear  Hortense,  until  you  were  better ; 
but  I  had  a  presentiment  of  it,  and  my  anxiety 
induced  me  to  write  to  one  of  your  ladies,  to 
indicate  to  her  the  telegraph  from  Nancy,  as  a 
prompt  resource  to  call  a  physician.  You  ask 
me  what  I  am  doing.  I  had  yesterday  a  day 
•of  happiness.  The  Emperor  came  to  see  me. 
His  presence  made  me  happy,  although  it  re- 
newed my  grief.  These  are  emotions  such  as 
one  could  wish  often  to  experience. 

"All  the  time  he  remained  with  me  I  had 
.sufficient  fortitude  to  restrain  the  tears  which  I 
felt  were  ready  to  flow.  But  after  he  had  left, 
I  had  no  longer  power  to  restrain  them,  and  I 
found  myself  very  unhappy.  He  was  kind  to 
me,  and  amiable  as  ever;  and  I  hope  that  he 
will  have  read  in  my  heart  all  the  affection 
and  all  the  devotion  with  which  I  cherish  him. 

"I  spoke  to  him  of  your  situation,  and  he 
listened  to  me  with  interest.  He  is  of  opinion 


1810.]      DEATH  OF  JOSEPHINE.        185 


Letter  from  Josephine. 


that  you  should  not  return  to  Holland,  the 
king  not  having  conducted  as  he  would  wish 
to  have  him.  The  opinion  of  the  Emperor  is 
that  you  should  take  the  waters  for  the  neces- 
sary time ;  that  you  should  then  write  to  your 
husband  that  it  is  the  opinion  of  your  physi- 
cians that  you  should  reside  in  a  warm  climate 
for  some  time,  and  that  consequently  you  are 
going  to  Italy.  As  to  your  son,  the  Emperor 
will  give  orders  that  he  is  not  to  leave  France. 

"I  hope  to  see  you,  perhaps  at  Aix  in  Sa- 
voy, if  the  waters  at  Plombieres  do  not  agree 
with  you;  perhaps  in  Switzerland,  where  the 
Emperor  has  permitted  me  to  journey.  We 
shall  be  able  to  appoint  for  ourselves  a  rendez- 
vous where  we  may  meet.  Then  I  will  relate 
to  you  with  the  living  voice  those  details 
which  it  would  require  too  much  time  to 
write.  I  intend  to  leave  next  Monday  for 
Aix  in  Savoy.  I  shall  travel  incognito,  under 
the  name  of  Madame  d'Aubery.  Your  son 
(Louis  Napoleon),  who  is  now  here,  is  very 
well.  He  has  rosy  cheeks  and  a  fair  skin." 

Immediately  upon  Josephine's  arrival  at  Aix, 
she  wrote  again  to  Hortense,  who  was  still  at 
Plombi5res,  a  letter  expressive  of  great  anxiety 
for  her  health  and  happiness,  and  entreating 


186  HORTENSE.  [1810. 

Louis  Bonaparte  abdicates. 

her  to  come  and  join  her  at  Aix.  "  How  I 
regret,"  she  wrote,  "  not  having  known,  before 
raj  departure,  the  true  state  of  your  health.  I 
should  have  been  at  Plombieres  to  take  care 
of  you,  and  I  should  not  have  experienced  the 
anxiety  which  tortures  me  at  this  great  dis- 
tance. My  only  consolation  is  to  think  that 
you  will  soon  come  here.  Let  me  soon  see 
you.  Alone,  desolate,  far  from  all  my  friends, 
and  in  the  midst  of  strangers,  you  can  judge 
how  sad  I  am,  and  all  the  need  I  have  of  your 
presence." 

In  July,  Louis  Bonaparte  abdicated  the 
throne  of  Holland.  Hortense  wrote  to  her 
mother  all  the  details  of  the  event.  Josephine 
engaged  a  cottage  at  Aix  for  herself  and  Hor- 
tense. She  wrote  to  Hortense  on  the  18th  of 
July: 

"  I  am  delighted  with  the  resolution  you 
have  taken  to  come  here.  I  am  occupied,  in 
preparing  your  lodgings,  more  pleasantly  than 
I  could  have  hoped.  A  gentleman  here  has 
relinquished  his  house.  I  have  accepted  it, 
for  it  is  delightfully  situated,  and  the  view  is 
enchanting.  The  houses  here  are  very  small, 
but  that  which  you  will  inhabit  is  larger.  You 
can  ride  anywhere  in  a  caleche.  You  will  be 


1810.]      DEATH  OF  JOSEPHINE.         187 


Madame  Broc. 


very  glad  to  have  your  own.     I  have  mine,, 
and  I  ride  out  in  it  every  day.     Adieu,  my 
dear  Hortense.      I  am  impatient  for  the  mo 
ment  when  I  can  embrace  you." 

As  it  was  not  deemed  proper  for  the  young 
princes,  the  sons  of  Hortense,  to  leave  France, 
they  were  both  left  at  the  chateau  of  St.  Cloud, 
while  Hortense  visited  her  mother  at  Aix. 
The  devoted  friend  of  Hortense,  Madame  Brocr 
to  whom  we  have  previously  alluded,  accom- 
panied the  ex-queen  to  Aix.  The  two  friends 
frequently  enjoyed  long  walks  together  in  that 
region  full  of  picturesque  scenery.  Hortense 
had  a  very  keen  appreciation  of  the  beauties 
of  nature,  and  had  attained  much  excellence- 
as  a  landscape  painter.  Aix,  from  its  deep  re- 
tirement and  physical  grandeur,  became  quite 
a  favorite  retreat.  She  had  but  little  heart  for 
any  society  but  that  of  the  solitudes  of  nature. 

About  the  first  of  October  Hortense  return- 
ed, by  the  advice  of  the  Emperor,  to  Fontaine- 
bleau,  where  she  was  reunited  to  her  two  sons. 
Josephine  was,  in  the  mean  time,  taking  a  short 
tour  in  Switzerland.  We  have  previously 
spoken  of  Hortense's  taste  for  music,  and  her 
skill  as  a  composer.  One  of  the  airs,  or  ro- 
mances, as  they  were  called,  composed  by  Hor- 


188  HORTENSE.  [181L 

"  Partant  pour  la  Syrie." 

tense  still  retains  in  Europe  perhaps  unsurpass- 
ed popularity.  It  was  termed  familiarly  Beau 
Dunois,  or  the  Knight  Errant.  Its  full  title  was 
"Partant  pour  la  Syrie,  lejeune  et  beau  Dunois"* 
Josephine,  writing  from  Geneva  to  Hortense 
at  Fontainebleau,  says :  "  I  have  heard  sung 
all  over  Switzerland  your  romance  of  Beau  Du- 
nois!  I  have  even  heard  it  played  upon  the 
piano  with  beautiful  variations."  Josephine 
soon  returned  to  Navarre,  which  at  that  time 
she  preferred  to  Malmaison,  as  it  was  farther 
removed  from  the  capital,  and  from  the  tumult 
of  joy  with  which  the  birth  of  the  child  of 
Maria  Louisa  would  be  received.  On  the  20th 
of  March,  1811,  all  France  resounded  with  ac- 
clamations at  the  birth  of  the  young  King  of 
Rome.  Hortense,  devoting  herself  to  her  chil- 
dren, hemained  in  Paris  and  its  environs.  In 
the  autumn  of  this  year  Josephine  left  Na- 
varre, and  returned  to  Malmaison  to  spend 
the  winter  there.  Hortense  and  her  husband, 
though  much  estranged  from  each  other,  and 
living  most  of  the  time  apart,  were  still  not 

*  Hie  writer  remembers  that  forty  years  ago  this  was  a 
•favorite  song  in  this  country.  At  Bowdoin  College  it  was  the 
popular  college  song.  It  is  now,  in  France,  one  of  the  favor- 
it«  national  airs. 


1812.]      DEATH  OF  JOSEPHINE.        189 


Illness  of  Napoleon  Louis. 


formally  separated,  and  occasionally  dwelt  to- 
gether. The  ostensible  cause  of  the  frequent 
absence  of  Hortense  from  her  husband  was  the 
state  of  her  health,  rendering  it  necessary  for 
her  to  make  frequent  visits  to  the  springs,  and 
the  griefs  of  her  mother  requiring  often  the 
.solace  of  her  daughter's  presence. 

Louis  Bonaparte  owned  a  very  beautiful  es- 
tate, called  St.  Leu,  in  France.  Early  in  May, 
1812,  Napoleon  left  Paris  for  the  fatal  cam- 
paign to  Moscow.  Just  before  his  departure, 
he  called  at  Malmaison  and  took  an  affection- 
ate leave  of  Josephine.  Hortense  was  at  St 
Leu,  with  her  children.  After  a  short  visit 
which  Josephine  made  to  St.  Leu,  antl  which 
she  describes  as  delightful,  she  returned  to  Mal- 
maison, and  Hortense  went  to  the  springs  of 
Aix-la-Chapelle,  taking  her  two  children  with 
her.  Here  Napoleon  Louis  was  attacked  with 
scarlet  fever,  which  caused  his  mother  and  the 
Empress  great  anxiety. 

Josephine  wrote  to  her,  on  the  28th  of  July: 
"  You  are  very  kind  not  to  have  forgotten  me 
in  the  midst  of  your  anxiety  for  your  son.  Em- 
trace  for  me  that  dear  child,  and  my  little  Oui 
•Oui"  (yes,  yes).*  Again  she  wrote,  two  days 

*  Oui  Oui  was  the  pet  name  given  to  little  Louis  Napoleon. 


190  HORTENSE.  [1812. 

Letter  from  Eugene. 

after :  "  I  hope  that  our  dear  Napoleon  contin« 
ues  to  improve,  and  that  the  little  Oui  Out  is 
doing  well."  Eugene,  leaving  his  amiable  and 
much -loved  wife  and  little  family  at  Milan, 
had  accompanied  Napoleon  on  his  Russian 
campaign.  During  his  absence  Josephine  vis- 
ited Milan,  and  there,  as  everywhere  else,  won 
the  love  of  all  who  saw  her.  Hortense,  with 
her  children,  was  most  of  the  time  in  Paris. 
Eugene,  immediately  after  the  terrible  battle 
of  Borodino,  wrote  as  follows  to  Josephine. 
His  letter  was  dated  September  8, 1812. 

"  MY  GOOD  MOTHER, — I  write  you  from  the 
field  of  battle.  The  Emperor  has  gained  a 
great  victory  over  the  Russians.  The  battle 
lasted  thirteen  hours.  I  commanded  the  right, 
and  hope  that  the  Emperor  will  be  satisfied. 

"I  can  not  sufficiently  thank  you  for  youi 
attentions  and  kindness  to  my  little  family. 
You  are  adored  at  Milan,  as  everywhere  else. 
They  write  me  most  charming  accounts  of  you, 
and  you  have  won  the  love  of  every  one  with 
whom  you  have  become  acquainted.  Adieu ! 
Please  give  tidings  of  me  to  my  sister.  I  wili 
write  her  to-morrow.  Your  affectionate  son, 

"  EUGENE." 


1813.]     DEATH  OF  JOSEPHINE.         191 


Napoleon  arrives  in  Paris. 


The  latter  part  of  October  of  this  year,  1812, 
Napoleon  commenced  his  awful  retreat  from 
Moscow.  Josephine  and  Hortense  were  much 
of  the  time  together  in  a  state  of  indescribable 
suspense  and  anguish.  At  midnight,  on  the 
18th  of  December,  Napoleon  arrived  in  Paris. 
The  disasters  in  Russia  had  caused  a  new  coa- 
lition of  all  the  dynasties  against  France.  The 
Emperor  of  Austria,  unmindful  of  the  marriage 
of  his  daughter  with  Napoleon,  had  joined  the 
coalition  with  all  the  military  powers  of  his 
empire.  The  majestic  army  with  which  Na- 
poleon had  invaded  Russia  was  almost  annihi- 
lated, and  nearly  two  millions  of  bayonets 
were  now  directed  against  the  Republican  Em- 
pire. 

All  France  rose  with  enthusiasm  to  co-oper- 
ate with  Napoleon  in  his  endeavors  to  resist 
the  thronging  foes.  By  the  middle  of  April, 
nearly  three  hundred  thousand  men  were  on 
the  march  from  France  towards  Germany,  gal- 
lantly  to  meet  the  onswelling  flood  of  more 
than  a  million  of  bayonets.  On  the  15th  of 
April,  1818,  at  four  o'clock  in  the  morning,  Na- 
poleon left  St.  Cloud  for  the  seat  of  war.  The 
terrific  campaign  of  Lutzen,  Bautzen,  Dresden, 
and  Leipsic  ensued. 


192  HORTENSE.  [1813. 

Letter  from  Josephine. 

Days  of  darkness  were  lowering  around  the 
Empire.  The  health  of  Hortense  rendered  it 
necessary  for  her  to  go  to  the  springs  of  Aix  in 
Savoy.  Her  two  children  were  left  with  her 
mother  at  Malmaison.  Under  date  of  June 
11. 1813,  the  Empress  wrote  to  her  daughter: 

"  I  have  received  your  letter  of  the  7th,  my 
dear  Hortense.  I  see  with  pleasure  that  you 
have  already  been  benefited  by  the  waters.  I 
advise  you  to  continue  them,  in  taking,  as  you 
do,  a  few  days  of  repose.  Be  very  tranquil 
respecting  your  children.  They  are  perfectly 
well.  Their  complexion  is  of  the  lily  and  the 
rose.  I  can  assure  you  that  since  they  have 
been  here  they  have  not  had  the  slightest  in- 
disposition. I  must  relate  to  you  a  very 
pretty  response  on  the  part  of  Oui  Out.  The 
Abbe*  Bertrand  caused  him  to  read  a  fable 
where  there  was  a  question  about  metamorpho- 
sis. Being  called  to  explain  the^word,  he  said 
to  the  abbe* : 

" '  I  wish  I  could  change  myself  into  a  little 
bird,  I  would  then  fly  away  at  the  hour  of 
your  lesson ;  but  I  would  return  when  M.  Hase 
(his  teacher  of  German)  arrived.' 

" 'But,  prince,'  remarked  the  abbe",  'it  is  not 
yery  polite  for  you  to  say  that  to  me.'  '  Oh,1 


THE   DEATH  OF  MADAME  BROO 


1813.]     DEATH  OF  JOSEPHINE.         195 


Death  of  Madame  Broc. 


replied  Oui  Oui,  l  that  which  1  say  is  only  for 
the  lesson,  not  for  the  man.' 

"  Do  you  not  think,  with  me,  that  that  rep- 
artee was  very  spirituellef  It  was  impossible 
for  him  to  extricate  himself  from  the  embar- 
rassment with  more  delicacy  and  gracefulness. 
Your  children  were  with  me  when  I  received 
your  letter.  They  were  very  happy  to  receive 
tidings  from  their  mamma.  Continue  to  write 
often,  my  dear  daughter,  for  their  sake  and  for 
mine.  It  is  the  only  means  to  enable  me  to 
support  your  absence." 

While  upon  this  visit  to  Aix,  Hortense  was 
accompanied  by  her  inseparable  friend,  Ma- 
dame Broc.  One  day  Hortense  and  Adele 
were  ascending  a  mountain,  whose  summit 
commanded  a  very  magnificent  view.  Their 
path  led  over  a  deep,  dark,  craggy  ravine, 
which  was  swept  by  a  mountain  torrent,  foam- 
ing and  roaring  over  the  rocks.  Alpine  firs, 
casting  a  gloomy  shade,  clung  to  its  sides.  A 
frail  rustic  bridge  crossed  the  chasm.  Hor- 
tense with  light  step  passed  over  in  safety. 
Madame  Broc  followed.  A  piercing  shriek 
was  heard,  followed  by  a  crash.  As  Hortense 
turned  round  she  saw  that  the  bridge  had 
given  way,  and  her  companion  was  falling, 


196  HORTENSE.  [1813. 

Hortense  at  Aix. 

torn  and  mangled,  from  rock  to  rock,  till  the 
rushing  torrent  seized  her  and  whirled  her 
lifeless  body  down  the  gulf  in  its  wild  waters. 
There  was  no  possibility  of  rescue.  For  a 
moment  the  fluttering  robes  of  the  unfortunate 
lady  were  seen  in  the  midst  of  the  surging 
flood,  and  then  the  body  was  swept  away  far 
down  the  dismal  gorge. 

The  shock  which  this  frightful  accident 
gave  to  the  nerves  of  Hortense  was  like  that 
which  she  experienced  at  the  death  of  her  son. 
For  a  time  she  seemed  stunned  by  the  blow, 
and  reason  tottered  on  its  throne.  Instead  of 
flying  from  Aix,  she  lingered  there.  As  soon 
as  she  partially  recovered  tranquillity,  she 
sought  to  divert  her  grief  by  entering  the 
abodes  of  sickness,  sorrow,  and  suffering  in 
the  neighborhood,  administering  relief  with 
her  own  hands.  She  established  a  hospital  at 
Aix  from  her  own  private  funds  for  the  indi- 
gent, and,  like  an  angel  of  mercy,  clothed  the 
naked  and  fed  the  hungry,  and,  while  her  own 
heart  was  breaking,  spoke  words  of  consolation 
to  the  world-weary. 

In  reference  to  this  event  Josephine  wrote 
from  Malmaison  to  Hortense  at  Aix,  under 
date  of  June  16, 1813: 


1813.]     DEATH  OF  JOSEPHINE.         197 


Letter  from  Josephine. 


"  What  a  horrible  accident,  my  dear  Hor- 
tense !  What  a  friend  you  have  lost,  and  by 
what  a  frightful  calamity !  Since  yesterday, 
when  I  heard  of  it,  I  have  been  so  horror- 
struck  as  not  to  be  able  to  write  to  you.  Ev- 
ery moment  I  have  before  my  eyes  the  fate  of 
that  poor  Adele.  Every  body  is  in  tears  for 
her.  She  was  so  beloved,  so  worthy  of  being 
beloved,  by  her  excellent  qualities  and  by  her 
attachment  for  you.  I  can  think  of  nothing 
but  what  condition  you  are  in.  I  am  so  anx- 
ious, that  I  send  my  chamberlain,  M.  Turpin, 
to  you,  that  he  may  give  me  more  certain  in- 
telligence respecting  your  health.  I  shall 
make  haste  to  leave  myself  for  a  short  time, 
that  my  presence  and  my  care  may  be  useful 
to  you.  I  feel  keenly  your  grief.  It  is  too 
well  founded.  But,  my  dear  daughter,  think 
of  your  children,  who  are  so  worthy  of  your 
love.  Preserve  yourself  for  them!  Think 
also  of  your  mother,  who  loves  you  tenderly. 

"  JOSEPHINE." 

Thus  blow  after  blow  fell  upon  the  heart 
of  poor  Hortense.  Two  days  after  the  above 
date  Josephine  wrote  again,  in  reply  to  a  letter 
from  her  daughter : 


198  HORTENSE.  [1813. 


Letter  from  Josephine. 


"  Your  letter  has  reanimated  me,  my  dear 
Hortense.  In  the  dejection  in  which  I  was,  I 
experienced  true  consolation  in  seeing  your 
hand-writing,  and  in  being  assured  by  your- 
self that  you  try  to  conquer  your  grief.  I 
fully  realize  how  much  it  must  cost  you. 
Your  letter,  so  tender,  so  touching,  has  renew- 
ed my  tears.  Ever  since  this  frightful  accident 
1  have  been  sick.  Alas!  my  dear  daughter, 
you  did  not  need  this  new  trial. 

"  I  have  embraced  your  children  for  you. 
They  also  are  deeply  afflicted,  and  think  of 
you  very  much.  I  am  consoled  in  thinking 
that  you  will  not  forget  us.  I  thank  you  for 
it,  my  dear  Hortense,  my  daughter  tenderly 
beloved." 

Again,  a  few  days  after,  this  affectionate 
mother  wrote  to  her  grief-stricken  child : 

"I  can  not  permit  your  courier  to  leave 
without  transmitting  to  you  intelligence  from 
me;  without  letting  you  know  how  much  I 
think  of  you.  I  fear  that  you  may  surrender 
yourself  too  much  to  the  grief  which  you  have 
experienced.  I  shall  not  feel  reassured  until 
M.  Turpin  shall  have  returned.  Think  of 
your  charming  children,  my  dear  Hortense. 
Think  also  of  a  mother  who  adores  you,  and 


1813.]     DEATH  OF  JOSEPHINE.         199 


Letter  from  Josephine. 


whom  your  life  alone  attaches  to  the  world.  I 
hope  that  all  these  motives  will  give  you  cour- 
age to  support  with  more  resignation  the  loss 
of  a  friend  so  tender. 

"I  have  just  received  a  letter  from  Eugene. 
He  fully  shares  your  grief,  and  desires  that 
you  should  go  and  pass  some  time  with  him, 
if  you  have  sufficient  strength.  I  should  be 
happy  to  know  that  you  were  with  him. 
Your  children  are  enjoying  perfect  health. 
They  are  truly  interesting.  It  would,  indeed, 
touch  your  feelings  if  you  knew  how  much 
they  think  of  you.  Life  is  very  precious,  and 
one  clings  to  it  when  one  has  such  good  chil- 
dren. Adieu  t  my  daughter.  Think  often  of 
a  mother  who  loves  you  tenderly,  and  who 
tenderly  embraces  you." 

As  nothing  can  more  clearly  reveal  than  do 
these  confidential  letters  the  character  of  Hor- 
tense,  and  the  domestic  relations  of  this  illus- 
trious and  afflicted  family,  I  insert  them  freely. 
They  give  us  a  rare  view  of  .those  griefs  of 
our  suffering  humanity  which  are  found  in 
the  palace  no  less  than  in  the  cottage.  On 
the  29th  of  June,  Josephine  wrote  again  to 
Hortense : 

"  M.  De  Turpin  has  brought  me  your  letter, 


200  HORTENSE.  [1813. 

Letter  from  Josephine. 

mj  dear  daughter.  I  see  with  pain  how  sad 
and  melancholy  you  still  are.  But  it  is,  at 
least,  a  great  consolation  to  me  to  be  assured 
that  your  health  has  not  severely  suffered. 
Take  courage,  my  dear  Hortense.  I  hope  that 
happiness  will  yet  be  your  lot.  You  have 
passed  through  many  trials.  Have  not  all 
persons  their  griefs?  The  only  difference  is 
in  the  greater  or  less  fortitude  of  soul  with 
which  one  supports  them.  That  which  ought 
particularly  to  soothe  your  grief  is  that  every 
one  shares  it  with  you.  There  are  none  who 
do  not  regret  our  poor  Adele  as  much  for 
themselves  as  for  you. 

"Your  children  mourn  over  your  sorrows. 
Every  thing  announces  in  them  an  excellent 
character,  and  a  strong  attachment  for  you. 
The  more  I  see  of  them  the  more  I  love  them. 
Nevertheless,  I  do  not  spoil  them.  Feel  easy 
on  their  account.  We  follow  exactly  what 
you  have  prescribed  for  their  regimen  and 
their  studies.  When  they  have  done  well 
during  the  week,  I  invite  them  to  breakfast 
and  dine  with  me  on  the  Sabbath.  The  proof 
that  they  are  in  good  health  is  that  they  have 
grown  much.  Napoleon  had  one  eye  slightly 
inflamed  yesterday  from  the  sting  of  a  gnat 


1813.]     DEATH  OF  JOSEPHINE.         201 


Letter  from  Josephine. 


He  was  not,  however,  oil  that  account,  less 
well  than  usual.  To-day  it  is  no  longer  mani- 
fest. It  would  not  be  worth  mentioning,  were 
we  not  in  the  habit  of  rendering  you  an  exact 
account  of  every  thing  which  concerns  them." 

On  the  6th  of  August  Josephine  wrote  as 
follows : 

"The  beautiful  days  of  .summer  have  at 
last  come  with  the  month  of  August.  I 
hope  that  they  will  strengthen  you,  my  dear 
daughter.  Your  lungs  will  feel  the  influence 
of  them,  and  the  baths  will  do  you  much 
more  good.  I  see  with  pleasure  that  you 
have  not  forgotten  the  years  of  your  child- 
hood, and  you  are  very  kind  to  your  mother 
in  recalling  them  to  her.  I  did  right  in  mak- 
ing happy,  too,  children  so  good  and  so  affec- 
tionate, and  they  have  since  abundantly  rec- 
ompensed me  for  it.  Your  children  will  do 
the  same  for  you,  my  dear  Hortense.  Their 
hearts  resemble  yours.  They  will  never  cease 
to  love  you.  Their  health  is  wonderfully 
good,  and  they  have  never  been  more  fresh 
and  vigorous. 

"  The  little  Oui  Oui  is  always  gallant  and 
amiable  to  me.  Two  days  ago,  in  seeing  Ma- 
dame Tascher  leave  us,  who  went  to  join  her 


202  HORTENSE.  [1813. 

Disasters  to  Napoleon. 

husband  at  the  springs,  he  said  to  Madame 
Boucheporn : 

'"She  must  love  her  husband  very  much  in^ 
deed,  to  be  willing,  for  him,  to  leave  my  grand- 
mother!' 

"Do  you  not  think  that  was  charming? 
On  the  same  day  he  went  to  walk  in  the 
woods  of  Butard.  As  soon  as  he  was  in  the 
grand  avenue,  he  threw  his  hat  in  the  air, 
shouting,  '  Oh,  how  I  love  beautiful  nature  !'* 

"  Not  a  day  passes  in  which  some  one  is  not 
amused  by  his  amiability.  The  children  ani- 
mate all  around  me.  Judge  if  you  have  not 
rendered  me  happy  in  leaving  them  with  me. 
I  can  not  be  more  happy  until  the  day  when 
I  shall  see  you." 

Disaster  now  followed  disaster  as  the  allied 
armies,  in  resistless  numbers,  crowded  down 
upon  France.  The  carnage  of  Dresden  and 
Leipsic  compelled  the  Emperor,  in  November, 
to  return  to  Paris  to  raise  reinforcements. 

*  All  will  read  with  interest  the  above  anecdotes  of  the 
childhood  of  Louis  Napoleon,  now  Emperor  of  France,  flis 
manhood  has  more  than  fulfilled  even  the  great  promise  of 
his  early  days.  The  stories  which  have  been  circulated  in 
this  country  respecting  his  early  dissipation  are  entirely  un- 
founded. They  originated  in  an  error  by  which  another 
trince  Bonaparte  was  mistaken  for  him. 


1814.]     DEATH  OF  JOSEPHINE.         203 


Embarrassment  of  Maria  Louisa. 


Though  he  had  been  victorious  in  almost  ev- 
«ry  battle,  still  the  surging  billows  of  his  foes, 
flowing  in  upon  him  from  all  directions,  could 
not  be  rolled  back. 

Maria  Louisa  was  in  a  state  of  great  em- 
barrassment, and  dreaded  to  see  her  husband. 
Her  father,  the  Emperor  of  Austria,  at  the  head 
of  an  immense  army,  was  marching  against 
France.  When  Napoleon,  returning  from  the 
terrific  strife,  entered  her  apartment,  Maria 
Louisa  threw  herself  into  his  arms,  and,  unable 
to  utter  a  word,  burst  into  a  flood  of  tears. 
Napoleon,  having  completed  his  arrangements 
for  still  maintaining  the  struggle,  on  the  25th 
of  January,  1814,  embraced  his  wife  and  child, 
and  returned  to  the  seat  of  war.  He  never 
saw  wife  or  child  again. 

As  his  carriage  left  the  door  of  the  palace, 
the  Emperor,  pressing  his  forehead  with  his 
hand,  said  to  Caulaincourt,  who  accompanied 
him,  "  I  envy  the  lot  of  the  meanest  peasant 
of  my  empire.  At  my  age  he  has  discharged 
his  debts  to  his  country,  and  may  remain  at 
home  enjoying  the  society  of  his  wife  and  chil- 
dren, while  I — I  must  fly  to  the 'camp  and  en- 
gage in  the  strife  of  war.  Such  is  the  man- 
date of  my  inexplicable  destiny." 


204  HOBTENSE.  [1814 

Napoleon's  last  interview  with  Josephine. 

After  a  moment's  reverie,  he  added,  "  My 
good  Louise  is  gentle  and  submissive.  I  can 
dapend  on  her.  Her  love  and  fidelity  will 
never  fail  me.  In  the  current  of  events  there 
may  arise  circumstances  which  will  decide  the 
fate  of  an  empire.  In  that  case  I  hope  that 
the  daughter  of  the  Caesars  will  be  inspired  by 
the  spirit  of  her  grandmother,  Maria  Theresa." 

The  struggle  which  ensued  was  short  but 
awful.  In  the  midst  of  these  terrific  scenes 
Napoleon  kept  up  an  almost  daily  correspond- 
ence with  Josephine.  On  one  occasion,  when 
the  surgings  of  the  battle  brought  him  within 
a  few  miles  of  Malmaison,  he  turned  aside  and 
sought  a  hurried  interview  with  his  most  faith- 
ful friend.  It  was  their  last  meeting.  Napo- 
leon took  the  hand  of  Josephine,  and,  gazing 
tenderly  upon  her,  said : 

"Josephine,  I  have  been  as  fortunate  as  ever 
was  man  upon  the  face  of  this  earth.  But  in 
this  hour,  when  a  storm  is  gathering  over  my 
head,  I  have  not  in  this  wide  world  any  one 
but  you  upon  whom  I  can  repose." 

Soon  after  this,  as  the  seat  of  war  approach- 
ed nearer  to  Paris,  Josephine  found  it  necessa- 
ry to  retire  to  Navarre.  She  wrote  to  Hor- 
tense,  on  the  28th  of  March  :  "  To-morrow  I 


1814.]      DEATH  OF  JOSEPHINE.         205 


Josephine  goes  to  Navarre. 


shall  leave  for  Navarre.  I  have  but  sixteen 
men  for  a  guard,  and  all  wounded.  I  shall 
take  care  of  them ;  but  in  truth  I  have  no 
need  of  them.  I  am  so  unhappy  in  being  sep- 
arated from  my  children  that  I  am  indifferent 
respecting  my  fate." 

At  eight  o'clock  in  the  morning  of  the  29th 
Josephine  took  her  carriage  for  Navarre.  The 
Allies  were  rapidly  approaching  Paris,  and  a 
state  of  indescribable  consternation  filled  the 
streets  of  the  metropolis.  Several  times  on 
the  route  the  Empress  was  alarmed  by  the  cry 
that  the  Cossacks  were  coming.  The  day  was 
dark  and  stormy,  and  the  rain  fell  in  torrents. 
The  pole  of  the  carriage  broke  as  the  wheels 
sunk  in  a  rut.  Just  at  that  moment  a  troop 
of  horsemen  appeared  in  the  distance.  The 
Empress,  in  her  terror,  supposing  them  to  be 
the  barbarous  Cossacks,  leaped  from  the  car- 
riage and  fled  through  the  fields.  Was  there 
ever  a  more  cruel  reverse  of  fortune  ?  Jose- 
phine, the  Empress  of  France,  the  admired  of 
all  Europe,  in  the  frenzy  of  her  alarm,  rushing 
through  the  storm  and  the  rain  to  seek  refuge 
in  the  woods!  The  troops  proved  to  be  French. 
Her  attendants  followed  and  informed  her  of 
the  mistake.  She  again  entered  her  carriage, 


206  HORTENSE.  [1814. 

Letter  from  Napoleon. 

and  uttered  scarcely  a  word  during  the  rest  of 
her  journey.  Upon  entering  the  palace  of 
Navarre,  she  threw  herself  upon  a  couch,  ex- 
claiming: 

"  Surely  Bonaparte  is  ignorant  of  what  is 
passing  within  sight  of  the  gates  of  Paris,  or, 
if  he  knows,  how  cruel  the  thoughts  which 
must  now  agitate  his  breast." 

In  a  hurried  letter  which  the  Emperor  wrote 
Josephine  from  Brienne,  just  after  a  desperate 
engagement  with  his  vastly  outnumbering  foes, 
he  said  : 

"  On  beholding  the  scenes  where  I  had  pass- 
ed my  boyhood,  and  comparing  my  peaceful 
condition  then  with  the  agitation  and  terrors  I 
now  experience,  I  several  times  said,  in  my 
own  mind,  '  I  have  sought  to  meet  death  in 
many  conflicts.  I  can  no  longer  fear  it.  To 
me  death  would  now  be  a  blessing.  But  I 
would  once  more  see  Josephine.'  " 

Immediately  after  Josephine's  arrival  at  Na- 
varre, she  wrote  to  Hortense,  urging  that  she 
should  join  her  at  that  place.  In  the  letter  she 
eaid: 

"  I  can  not  tell  you  how  sad  I  am.  I  have 
had  fortitude  in  afflicted  positions  in  which  I 
have  found  myself,  and  I  shall  have  enough 


1814.]      DEATH  OF  JOSEPHINE.         20T 


Napoleon  abdicates. 


to  bear  my  reverses  of  fortune ;  but  I  have  not 
sufficient  to  sustain  me  under  absence  from  my 
children,  and  uncertainty  respecting  their  fate. 
For  two  days  I  have  not  ceased  to  weep.  Send 
me  tidings  respecting  yourself  and  your  chil- 
dren. If  you  can  learn  any  thing  respecting 
Eugene  and  his  family,  inform  me." 

Two  days  after  this,  Hortense,  with  her  two 
sons,  joined  her  mother  at  Navarre.  Paris  was 
soon  in  the  hands  of  the  Allies.  The  Emperor 
Alexander  invited  Josephine  and  Hortense  to 
return  to  Malmaison,  where  he  established  a 
guard  for  their  protection.  Soon  after  Napo- 
leon abdicated  at  Fontainebleau.  Upon  the 
eve  of  his  departure  for  Elba,  he  wrote  to  Jo- 
sephine : 

"I  wrote  to  you  on  the  8ih.  Possibly  you 
have  not  received  my  letter.  It  may  have 
been  intercepted.  At  present  communications 
must  be  re-established.  I  have  formed  my 
resolution.  I  have  no  doubt  that  this  billet 
will  reach  you.  I  will  not  repeat  what  I  said 
to  you.  Then  I  lamented  my  situation.  Now 
I  congratulate  myself  thereon.  My  head  and 
spirit  are  freed  from  an  enormous  weight.  My 
fall  is  great,  but  at  least  is  useful,  as  men  say. 
Adieu !  my  dear  Josephine.  Be  resigned  as  I 


208  HORTENSE.  [1814. 


Kindness  of  Alexander. 


am,  and  ever  remember  him  who  never  forgets 
and  never  will  forget  you." 

Josephine  returned  to  Malmaison,  and  Hor- 
tense  repaired  to  Eambouillet,  to  join  Maria 
Louisa  in  these  hours  of  perplexity  and  disas- 
ter. As  soon  as  Maria  Louisa  set  out  under 
an  Austrian  escort  for  Vienna,  Hortense  rejoin- 
ed her  mother  at  Malmaison.  Alexander  was 
particularly  attentive  to  Josephine  and  Hor- 
tense. He  had  loved  Napoleon,  and  his  sym- 
pathies were  now  deeply  excited  for  his  afflict- 
ed family.  Through  his  kind  offices,  the  beau- 
tiful estate  of  St.  Leu,  which  Louis  Bonaparte 
had  owned,  and  which  he  had  transferred  to 
his  wife,  was  erected  into  a  duchy  for  her  ad- 
vantage, and  the  right  of  inheritance  was  vest- 
ed in  her  children.  The  ex-Queen  of  Holland 
now  took  the  title  of  the  Duchess  of  St.  Leu. 

On  the  10th  of  May  the  Emperor  Alexander 
dined  with  Josephine  at  Malmaison.  Grief, 
and  a  season  unusually  damp  and  cheerless, 
had  seriously  undermined  her  health.  Not- 
withstanding acute  bodily  suffering,  she  exert- 
ed herself  to  the  utmost  to  entertain  her  guests. 
At  night  she  was  worse  and  at  times  was  de- 
lirious. Not  long  after  this,  Alexander  and 
the  King  of  Prussia  were  both  guests  to  dine 


1814.]     DEATH  OF  JOSEPHINE.         209 


Illness  of  Josephine. 


at  Malmaison.  The  health  of  Josephine  was 
such  that  she  was  urged  by  her  friends  not  to 
leave  her  bed.  She  insisted,  however,  upon 
dressing  to  receive  the  allied  sovereigns.  Her 
sufferings  increased,  and  she  was  obliged  to 
retire,  leaving  Hortense  to  supply  her  place. 

The  next  day  Alexander  kindly  called  to 
inquire  for  her  health.  Hour  after  hour  she 
seemed  to  be  slowly  failing.  On  the  morning 
of  the  28th  she  fell  into  a  lethargic  sleep, 
which  lasted  for  five  hours,  and  her  case  was 
pronounced  hopeless.  Eugene  and  Hortense 
were  at  her  side.  The  death-hour  had  come. 
The  last  rites  of  religion  were  administered  to 
the  dying.  The  Emperor  Alexander  was  also 
in  this  chamber  of  grief.  Josephine  was  per- 
fectly rational.  She  called  for  the  portrait  of 
Napoleon,  and,  gazing  upon  it  long  and  tender- 
ly, breathed  the  following  prayer: 

"  O  God,  watch  over  Napoleon  while  he  re- 
mains in  the  desert  of  this  world.  Alas! 
though  he  hath  committed  great  faults,  hath 
he  not  expiated  them  by  great  sufferings? 
Just  God,  thou  hast  looked  into  his  heart,  and 
hast  seen  by  how  ardent  a  desire  for  useful 
and  durable  improvements  he  was  animated. 
Deign  to  approve  this  my  last  petition,  and 

3—14 


210  HORTENSE.  [1814 

Death  of  Josephine. 

may  this  image  of  my  husband  bear  me  wit* 
ness  that  my  latest  wish  and  my  latest  prayer 
were  for  him  and  for  my  children." 

Her  last  words  were  "Island  of  Elba — No,- 
pokon."  It  was  the  29th  of  May,  1814.  For 
four  days  her  body  remained  laid  out  in  state, 
surrounded  with  numerous  tapers.  "Every 
road,"  writes  a  French  historian,  "  from  Paris 
and  its  environs  to  Kuel  was  crowded  with 
trains  of  mourners.  Sad  groups  thronged  all 
the  avenues ;  and  I  could  distinguish  tears  even 
in  the  splendid  equipages  which  came  rattling 
across  the  court-yard." 

More  than  twenty  thousand  persons — mon- 
archs,  nobles,  statesmen,  and  weeping  peasants 
— thronged  the  chateau  of  Malmaison  to  take- 
the  iast  look  of  the  remains  of  one  who  had 
been  universally  beloved.  The  funeral  took 
place  at  noon  of  the  2d  of  June.  The  re- 
mains were  deposited  in  the  little  church  of 
Euel.  A  beautiful  mausoleum  of  white  mar- 
ble, representing  the  Empress  kneeling  in  he* 
coronation  robes,  bears  the  simple  inscription: 

EUGENE  AND  HORTENSB 

TO 

JOSEPHINE. 


1814.]    THE  SORROWS  OF  EXILE.     211 


Eugene  meets  Louis  XVIII. 


CHAPTER  VII. 
THE  SORROWS  OF  EXILE.     • 

THERE  probably  never  was  a  more  tender, 
loving  mother  than  Josephine.  And  it 
is  not  possible  that  any  children  could  be 
more  intensely  devoted  to  a  parent  than  were 
Eugene  and  Hortense  to  their  mother.  The 
grief  of  these  bereaved  children  was  heart- 
rending. Poor  Hortense  was  led  from  the 
grave  almost  delirious  with  woe.  Etiquette 
required  that  Eugene,  passing  through  Paris, 
should  pay  his  respects  to  Louis  XYIII.  The 
king  had  remarkable  tact  in  paying  compli- 
ments. Eugene  announced  himself  simply  as 
General  Beauharnais.  He  thanked  the  king 
for  the  kind  treatment  extended  by  the  allied 
monarchs  to  his  mother  and  his  sister.  Hor- 
tense was  also  bound,  by  the  laws  of  courtesy, 
to  call  upon  the  king  in  expression  of  grati- 
tude. They  were  both  received  with  so  much 
cordiality  as  to  expose  the  king  to  the  accusa- 
tion of  having  become  a  rank  Bonapartist. 
On  the  other  hand,  Eugene  and  Hortense  were 


212  HORTENSE.  [1814 

Hortense  in  Paris. 

censured  by  the  partisan  press  for  accepting 
any  favors  from  the  Allies.  After  the  inter- 
view of  Louis  XVIII.  with  Hortense,  in  which 
she  thanked  him  for  the  Duchy  of  St.  Leu,  the 
king  said  to  the  Duke  de  Duras :  "  Never 
have  I  seen  a  woman  uniting  such  grace  to 
such  distinguished  manners;  and  lam  a  judge 
ot  women." 

It  is  very  difficult  to  ascertain  with  accuracy 
the  movements  of  Hortense  during  the  inde- 
scribable tumult  of  the  next  few  succeeding 
months.  The  Duke  of  Rovigo  says  that  Hor- 
tense reproached  the  Emperor  Alexander  for 
turning  against  Napoleon,  for  whom  he  for- 
merly had  manifested  so  much  friendship. 
But  the  Emperor  replied:  "I  was  compelled 
to  yield  to  the  wishes  of  the  Allies.  As  for 
myself  personally,  I  wash  my  hands  of  every 
thing  which  has  been  done." 

The  death  of  Josephine  and  the  departure 
of  Eugene  left  Hortense,  bereaved  and  deject- 
ed, almost  alone  in  Paris  with  her  two  children. 
Their  intelligence  and  vivacity  had  deeply  in- 
terested Alexander  and  other  royal  guests, 
who  had  cordially  paid  their  tribute  of  respect 
and  sympathy  to  their  mother.  Napoleon 
had  taken  a  deep  interest  in  the  education  of 


1814.]    THE  SORROWS  OF  EXILE.     213 


Interest  of  Napoleon  in  the  princea. 


the  two  princes,  as  he  was  aware  of  the  frailty 
of  life,  and  as  the  death  of  the  King  of  Rome 
would  bring  them  in  the  direct  line  to  the  in- 
heritance of  the  crown. 

The  Emperor  generally  breakfasted  alone 
when  at  home,  at  a  small  table  in  his  cabinet. 
The  two  sons  of  Hortense  were  frequently 
admitted,  that  they  might  interest  him  with 
their  infant  prattle.  The  Emperor  would  tell 
them  a  story,  and  have  them  repeat  it  after 
him,  that  he  might  ascertain  the  accuracy  of 
their  memory.  Any  indication  of  intellectual 
superiority  excited  in  his  mind  the  most  lively 
satisfaction.  Mademoiselle  Cochelet,  who  was 
the  companion  and  reader  of  Queen  Hortense, 
relates  the  following  anecdote  of  Louis  Napo- 
leon: 

"  The  two  princes  were  in  intelligence  quite 
in  advance  of  their  years.  This  proceeded 
from  the  care  which  their  mother  gave  herself 
to  form  their  characters  and  to  develop  their 
faculties.  They  were,  however,  too  young  to 
understand  all  the  strange  scenes  which  were 
transpiring  around  them.  As  they  had  always 
beheld  in  the  members  of  their  own  family,  in 
their  uncles  and  aunts,  kings  and  queens,  when 
the  Emperor  of  Russia  and  the  King  of  Prussia 


214  H.ORTENSE.  [1814. 

Anecdote  of  Louis  Napoleon. 

were  first  introduced  to  them,  the  little  Louis 
Napoleon  asked  if  they  were  also  their  uncles, 
and  if  they  were  to  be  called  so. 

" '  No,'  was  the  reply ;  *  they  are  not  your 
uncles.  You  will  simply  address  them  as  sire.' 

" '  But  are  not  all  kings  our  uncles  ?'  in- 
quired the  young  prince. 

" '  Far  from  being  your  uncle,'  was  the  reply, 
'they  have  come,  in  their  turn,  as  conquer- 
ors.' 

"'Then  they  are  the  enemies,'  said  Louis 
Napoleon,  'of  our  uncle,  the  Emperor.  Why, 
then,  do  they  embrace  us  ?' 

" '  Because  the  Emperor  of  Eussia,  whom 
you  see,  is  a  generous  enemy.  He  wishes  to 
be  useful  to  you  and  to  your  mamma.  But 
for  him  you  would  no  longer  have  any  thing; 
and  the  condition  of  your  uncle,  the  Emperor, 
would  be  more  unhappy.' 

"  '  We  ought,  then,  to  love  this  Emperor, 
ought  we  ?' 

"  *  Yes,  certainly,'  was  the  reply ;  '  for  you 
owe  him  your  gratitude.' 

"The  next  time  the  Emperor  Alexander  call- 
ed upon  Hortense,  little  Louis  Napoleon,  who 
was  naturally  very  retiring  and  reticent,  took 
ft  ring  which  his  uncle  Eugene  had  given  him, 


1814.]   THE  SORROWS  OF  EXILE.     215 

Removal  of  the  remains  of  Napoleon  Charles. 

and,  stealing  timidly  over  to  Alexander,  slip* 
ped  the  ring  into  his  hand,  and,  half  frightened, 
ran  away  with  all  speed.  Hortense  called  the 
child  to  her,  and  asked  him  what  he  had  done. 
Blushing  deeply,  the  warm-hearted  boy  said: 

" '  I  have  nothing  but  the  ring.  I  wanted  to 
give  it  to  the  Emperor,  because  he  is  good  to 
my  mamma.' 

"  Alexander  cordially  embraced  the  prince, 
and,  putting  the  ring  upon  his  watch-chain, 
promised  that  he  would  always  wear  it." 

The  remains  of  Napoleon  Charles,  who  had 
died  in  Holland,  had  been  deposited,  by  direc- 
tion of  Napoleon,  in  the  vaults  of  St.  Denis, 
the  ancient  burial-place  of  the  kings  of  France. 
So  great  was  the  jealousy  of  the  Bourbons  of 
the  aame  of  Napoleon,  and  so  unwilling  were 
they  to  recognize  in  any  way  the  right  of  the 
people  to  elect  their  own  sovereign,  that  the 
government  of  Louis  XVIII.  ordered  the  body 
to  be  immediately  removed.  Hortense  trans- 
ferred the  remains  of  her  child  to  the  church 
of  St.  Leu. 

Notwithstanding  this  jealousy,  Alexander 
and  the  King  of  Prussia  could  not  ignore  the 
imperial  character  of  Napoleon,  whose  govern- 
ment they  had  recognized,  and  with  whom 


216  HORTENSE.  [1814. 

Titles  of  the  princes. 

they  had  exchanged  ambassadors  and  formed 
treaties :  neither  could  they  deny  that  the  King 
of  Holland  had  won  a  crown  recognized  by  all 
Europe.  They  and  the  other  crowned  heads, 
who  paid  their  respects  to  Hortense,  in  accord- 
ance with  the  etiquette  of  courts,  invariably 
addressed  each  of  the  princes  as  Your  Royal 
Highness.  Hortense  had  not  accustomed  them 
to  this  homage.  She  had  always  addressed 
the  eldest  as  Napoleon,  the  youngest  as  Louis. 
It  was  her  endeavor  to  impress  them  with  the 
idea  that  they  could  be  nothing  more  than  their 
characters  entitled  them  to  be.  But  after  this, 
when  the  Bourbon  Government  assumed  that 
Napoleon  was  an  usurper,  and  that  popular 
suffrage  could  give  no  validity  to  the  crown, 
then  did  Hortense,  in  imitation  of  Napoleon  at 
St.  Helena,  firmly  resist  the  insolence.  Then 
did  she  teach  her  children  that  they  were 
princes,  that  they  were  entitled  to  the  throne 
of  France  by  the  highest  of  all  earthly  author- 
ity— the  almost  unanimous  voice  of  the  French 
people — and  that  the  Bourbons,  trampling  pop- 
ular rights  beneath  their  feet,  and  ascending 
the  throne  through  the  power  of  foreign  bay- 
onets, were  usurpers. 

Madame  Cochelet,  the  reader  of  Queen  Hor- 


HORTENSE  AXD  HER  CHILDREN. 


1814.]    THE  SORROWS  OF  EXILE.     219 


Conversation  with  the  princes. 


tense,  writes,  in  her  interesting  memoirs :  "  I 
have  often  seen  her  take  her  two  boys  on  her 
knees,  and  talk  with  them  in  order  to  form 
their  ideas.  It  was  a  curious  conversation  to 
listen  to,  in  those  days  of  the  splendors  of  the 
empire,  when  those  children  were  the  heirs  of 
so  many  crowns,  which  the  Emperor  was  dis- 
tributing to  his  brothers,  his  officers,  his  allies. 
Having  questioned  them  on  every  thing  they 
knew  already,  she  passed  in  review  whatever 
they  should  know  besides,  if  they  were  to  rely 
upon  their  own  resources  for  a  livelihood. 

"  Suppose  you  had  no  money,"  said  Hor- 
tense  to  the  eldest,  "  and  were  alone  in  the 
world,  what  would  you  do,  Napoleon,  to  sup- 
port yourself?" 

"  I  would  become  a  soldier,"  was  the  reply, 
"  and  would  fight  so  well  that  I  should  soon 
be  made  an  officer." 

"  And  Louis,"  she  inquired  of  the  younger, 
"  how  would  you  provide  for  yourself?" 

The  little  prince,  who  was  then  but  about 
five  years  old,  had  listened  very  thoughtfully 
to  all  that  was  said.  Knowing  that  the  gun 
and  the  knapsack  were  altogether  beyond  his 
strength,  he  replied: 

"  I  would  sell  violet  bouquets,  like  the  little 


220  HORTENSE.  [1815. 

Louis  Bonaparte  demands  the  children. 

boy  at  the  gate  of  the  Tuileries,  from  whom 
we  purchase  them  every  day." 

The  boy  is  father  of  the  man.  Such  has 
been  Louis  Napoleon  from  that  hour  to  this; 
the  quiet  student — hating  war,  loving  peace — 
all-devoted  to  the  arts  of  utility  and  of  beauty. 
He  has  been  the  great  pacificator  of  Europe. 
But  for  his  unwearied  efforts,  the  Continent 
would  have  been  again  and  again  in  a  blaze 
of  war.  As  all  present  at  this  conversation 
smiled,  in  view  of  the  unambitious  projects  of 
the  prince,  Hortense  replied : 

"  This  is  one  of  my  lessons.  The  misfortune 
of  princes  born  on  the  throne  is  that  they  think 
every  thing  is  their  due ;  that  they  are  formed 
of  a  different  nature  from  other  men,  and  there- 
fore never  feel  under  any  obligations  to  them. 
They  are  ignorant  of  human  miseries,  or  think 
themselves  beyond  their  reach.  Thus,  when 
misfortunes  come,  they  are  surprised,  terrified, 
and  always  remain  sunk  below  their  destinies." 

The  Allies  retired,  with  their  conquering 
armies.  Hortense  remained  with  her  children 
in  Paris.  Louis  Bonaparte,  sick  and  dejected, 
took  up  his  residence  in  Italy.  He  demanded 
the  children.  A  mother's  love  clung  to  them 
with  tenacity  which  could  not  be  relaxed. 


1815.]    THE  SORROWS  OF  EXILE.     221 


Hortense  meets  the  Emperor. 


There  was  an  appeal  to  the  courts.  Hortense 
employed  the  most  eminent  counsel  to  plead 
her  cause.  Eleven  months  passed  away  from 
the  time  of  the  abdication ;  and  upon  the  very 
day  when  the  court  rendered  its  decision,  that 
the  father  should  have  the  eldest  child,  and 
the  mother  the  youngest,  Napoleon  landed  at 
Cannes,  and  commenced  his  almost  miraculous 
march  to  Paris.  The  sublime  transactions  of 
the  "  One  Hundred  Days "  caused  all  other 
events,  for  a  time,  to  be  forgotten. 

Hortense  was  at  the  Tuileries,  one  of  the 
first  to  greet  the  Emperor  as  he  was  borne  in 
triumph,  upon  the  shoulders  of  the  people,  up 
the  grand  staircase.  "Sire," said  Hortense,  "I 
had  a  presentiment  that  you  would  return,  and 
I  waited  for  you  here."  The  Allies  had  robbed 
the  Emperor  of  his  son,  and  the  child  was  a 
prisoner  with  his  mother  in  the  palaces  of  Vi- 
enna. Very  cordially  Napoleon  received  his 
two  nephews,  and  kept  them  continually  near 
him.  With  characteristic  devotion  to  the  prin- 
ciple of  universal  suffrage,  Napoleon  submitted 
the  question  of  his  re-election  to  the  throne  of 
the  empire  to  the  French  people.  More  than 
a  million  of  votes  over  all  other  parties  re- 
sponded in  the  affirmative. 


222  HORTENSE.  [1815, 

Reinauguration  of  the  Emperor. 

On  the  first  of  June,  1815,  the  Emperor  was- 
reinaugurated  on  the  field  of  Mars,  and  the 
eagles  were  restored  to  the  banners.  It  was 
one  of  the  most  imposing  pageants  Paris  had 
ever  witnessed.  Hundreds  of  thousands  crowd- 
ed that  magnificent  parade-ground.  As  the 
Emperor  presented  the  eagles  to  the  army,  a. 
roar  as  of  reverberating  thunder  swept  along 
the  lines.  By  the  side  of  the  Emperor,  upon 
the  platform,  sat  his  two  young  nephews.  He 
presented  them  separately  to  the  departments, 
and  the  army  as  in  the  direct  line  of  inherit- 
ance. This  scene  must  have  produced  a  pro- 
found impression  upon  the  younger  child,  Louis 
Napoleon,  who  was  so  thoughtful,  reflective, 
and  pensive. 

In  the  absence  of  Maria  Louisa,  who  no  lon- 
ger had  her  liberty,  Hortense  presided  at  the 
Tuileries.  Inheriting  the  spirit  of  her  mother, 
she  was  unfailing  in  deeds  of  kindness  to  the 
many  Royalists  who  were  again  ruined  by  the 
return  of  Napoleon.  Her  audience -chamber 
was  ever  crowded  by  those  who,  through  her, 
sought  to  obtain  access  to  the  ear  of  the  Em- 
peror. Napoleon  was  overwhelmed  by  too 
many  public  cares  to  give  much  personal  at- 
tention to  private  interests. 


1815.]    THE  SORROWS  OF  EXILE.     223 


Anecdote  of  Louis  Napoleon. 


The  evening  before  Napoleon  left  his  cabi- 
net for  his  last  campaign,  which  resulted  in  the 
disaster  at  Waterloo,  he  was  in  his  cabinet  con- 
versing with  Marshal  Soult.  The  door  was 
gently  opened,  and  little  Louis  Napoleon  crept 
silently  into  the  apartment.  His  features  were 
swollen  with  an  expression  of  the  profoundest 
grief,  which  he  seemed  to  be  struggling  in  vain, 
to  repress.  Tremblingly  he  approached  the 
Emperor,  and,  throwing  himself  upon  his  knees, 
buried  his  face  in  his  two  hands  in  the  Empe- 
ror's lap,  and  burst  into  a  flood  of  tears. 

"  What  is  the  matter,  Louis  ?"  said  the  Em- 
peror, kindly ;  "  why  do  you  interrupt  me,  and 
why  do  you  weep  so  ?" 

The  young  prince  was  so  overcome  with 
emotion  that  for  some  time  he  could  not  utter 
a  syllable.  At  last,  in  words  interrupted  by 
sobs,  he  said, 

"  Sire,  my  governess  has  told  me  that  you 
are  going  away  to  the  war.  Oh  !  do  not  go ! 
do  not  go!" 

The  Emperor,  much  moved,  passed  his  fin- 
gers through  the  clustering  ringlets  of  the 
-child,  and  said,  tenderly, 

"My  child,  this  is  not  the  first  time  that  I 
have  been  to  the  war.  Why  are  you  so  afflict- 


224  HORTENSE.  [1815, 

Anecdote  of  Louis  Napoleon. 

ed  ?     Do  not  fear  for  me.     I  shall  soon  come 
back  again." 

"  Oh  I  my  dear  uncle,"  exclaimed  the  child, 
weeping  convulsively  ;  "  those  wicked  Allies 
wish  to  kill  you.  Let  me  go  with  you,  dear 
uncle,  let  me  go  with  you !" 

The  Emperor  made  no  reply,  but,  taking 
Louis  Napoleon  upon  his  knee,  pressed  him  to 
his  heart  with  much  apparent  emotion.  Then 
calling  Hortense,  the  mother  of  the  child,  he- 
said  to  her : 

"  Take  away  my  nephew,  Hortense,  and  rep- 
rimand his  governess,  who,  by  her  inconsid- 
erate words,  has  so  deeply  excited  his  sympa- 
thies." 

Then,  after  a  few  affectionate  words  address- 
ed to  the  young  prince,  he  was  about  to  hand 
him  to  his  mother,  when  he  perceived  that 
Marshal  Soult  was  much  moved  by  the  scene. 

"  Embrace  the  child,  Marshal,"  said  the  Em 
peror;  "he  has  a  warm  heart  and  a  noble  soul. 
Perhaps  he  is  to  be  the  hope  of  my  race  /" 

Napoleon  returned  from  the  disaster  at  Wa- 
terloo with  all  his  hopes  blighted.  Hortense 
hastened  to  meet  him,  and  to  unite  her  fate  with 
his.  "  It  is  my  duty,"  she  said.  "  The  Em- 
peror has  always  treated  me  as  his  child,  and  I 


1815.]    THE  SORROWS  OF  EXILE.     225 


Hortens'e  meets  Napoleon. 


will  try,  in  return,  to  be  his  devoted  and  grate- 
ful daughter."  In  conversation  with  Hortense,. 
Napoleon  remarked :  "  Give  myself  up  to  Aus- 
tria! Never.  She  has  seized  upon  my  wife 
and  my  son.  Give  myself  up  to  Russia !  That 
would  be  to  a  single  man.  But  to  give  my- 
self up  to  England,  that  would  be  to  throw 
myself  upon  a  people."  His  friends  assured 
him  that,  though  he  might  rely  upon  the  honor 
of  the  British  people,  he  could  not  trust  to  the 
British  Government.  Hortense  repaired  to  Mai- 
maison  with  her  two  sons,  where  the  Emperor 
soon  rejoined  her.  "  She  restrained  her  own. 
tears,"  writes  Baron  Fleury,  "  reminding  usr 
with  the  wisdom  of  a  philosopher  and  the 
sweetness  of  an  angel,  that  we  ought  to  sur- 
mount our  sorrows  and  regrets,  and  submit 
with  docility  to  the  decrees  of  Providence." 

It  was  necessary  for  Napoleon  to  come  to  a 
prompt  decision.  The  Allies  now  nearly  sur- 
rounded Paris.  On  the  29th  of  June  the  Em- 
peror sat  in  his  library  at  Malmaison,  exhaust- 
ed with  care  and  grief.  Hortense,  though  with 
swollen  eyes  and  a  heart  throbbing  with  an- 
guish, did  every  thing  which  a  daughter's  love 
could  suggest  to  minister  to  the  solace  of  her 
afflicted  father.  Just  before  his  departure  to 
3—15 


226  HORTENSE.  [1815. 

Departure  of  the  Emperor. 

Rochefort,  where  he  intended  to  embark  for 
some  foreign  land,  he  called  for  his  nephews, 
to  take  leave  of  them.  It  was  a  very  affecting 
scene.  Both  of  the  children  wept  bitterly. 
The  soul  of  the  little,  pensive  Louis  Napoleon 
was  stirred  to  its  utmost  depths.  He  clung 
frantically  to  his  uncle,  screaming  and  insisting 
that  he  should  go  and  "  fire  off  the  cannon  I" 
It  was  necessary  to  take  him  away  by  force. 

"The  Emperor  was  departing  almost  without 
money.  Hortense,  after  many  entreaties,  suc- 
ceeded in  making  him  accept  her  beautiful 
necklace,  valued  at  eight  hundred  thousand 
francs.  She  sewed  it  up  in  a  silk  ribbon, 
which  he  concealed  in  his  dress.  He  did  not, 
however,  find  himself  obliged  to  part  with  this 
jewel  till  on  his  death-bed,  when  he  intrusted 
it  to  Count  Montholon,  with  orders  to  restore 
it  to  Hortense.  This  devoted  man  acquitted 
himself  successfully  of  this  commission."* 

Upon  the  departure  of  Napoleon,  Hortense, 
with  her  children,  returned  to  Paris.  She  was 
entreated  by  her  friends  to  seek  refuge  in  the 
interior  of  France,  as  the  Royalists  were  much 
exasperated  against  her  in  consequence  of  her 
reception  of  the  Emperor.  They  assured  her 

*  Life  of  Napoleon  III.,  by  Edward  Roth. 


1815.]   THE   SOKROWS  OF  EXILE.     227 


Anger  of  the  Royalists. 


that  the  army  and  the  people  would  rally 
around  her  and  her  children  as  the  representa- 
tives of  the  Empire.  But  Hortense  replied : 

"  I  must  now  undergo  whatever  fortune  has 
in  store  for  me.  I  am  nothing  now.  I  cam 
not  pretend  to  make  the  people  think  that  I 
rally  the  troops  around  me.  If  I  had  been 
Empress  of  France,  I  would  have  done  every 
thing  to  prolong  the  defense.  But  now  it  does 
not  become  me  to  mingle  my  destinies  with 
such  great  interests,  and  I  must  be  resigned." 

In  a  few  days  the  allied  armies  were  again 
in  possession  of  Paris.  The  Royalists  assumed; 
so  threatening  an  attitude  towards  her,  that  she 
felt  great  solicitude  for  the  safety  of  her  chil- 
dren. Many  persons  kindly  offered  to  give 
them  shelter.  But  she  was  unwilling  to  com- 
promise her  friends  by  receiving  from  them 
such  marks  of  attention.  A  kind-hearted 
woman,  by  the  name  of  Madame  Tessier,  kept 
a  hose  establishment  on  the  Boulevard  Mont- 
martre.  The  children  were  intrusted  to  her 
care,  where  they  would  be  concealed  from  ob- 
servation, and  where  they  would  still  be  per- 
fectly comfortable. 

Hortense  had  her  residence  in  a  hotel  on  tbe 
Rue  Cerutti.  The  Austrian  Prince  Schwartz- 


228  HORTENSE.  [1815. 

Hostility  of  the  Allies. 

«nberg  occupied  the  same  hotel,  and  Hortense 
hoped  that  this  circumstance  would  add  to  her 
security.  But  the  Allies  were  now  greatly  ex- 
asperated against  the  French  people,  who  had 
so  cordially  received  the  Emperor  on  his  re- 
turn from  Elba.  Even  the  Emperor  Alexander 
treated  Hortense  with  marked  coldness.  He 
called  upon  Prince  Schwartzenberg  without 
making  any  inquiries  for  her. 

The  hostility  of  the  Allies  towards  this  un- 
fortunate lady  was  so  great,  that  on  the  19th 
of  July  Baron  de  Muffling,  who  commanded 
Paris  for  the  Allies,  received  an  order  to  notify 
the  Duchess  of  St.  Leu  that  she  must  leave 
Paris  within  two  hours.  An  escort  of  troops 
was  offered  her,  which  amounted  merely  to  an 
armed  guard,  to  secure  her  departure  and  to 
mark  her  retreat  As  Hortense  left  Paris  for 
exile,  she  wrote  a  few  hurried  lines  to  a  friend, 
in  which  she  said  : 

"  I  have  been  obliged  to  quit  Paris,  having 
been  positively  expelled  from  it  by  the  allied 
armies.  So  greatly  am  I,  a  feeble  woman,  with, 
her  two  children,  dreaded,  that  the  enemy'f 
troops  are  posted  all  along  our  route,  as  they 
say,  to  protect  our  passage,  but  in  reality  to 
insure  our  departure." 


1815.J   THE  SORROWS  OF  EXILE.     229 


Driven  into  exile. 


Prince  Schwartzenberg,  who  felt  much  sym- 
pathy for  Hortense,  accompanied  her,  as  a  com- 
panion and  a  protector,  on  her  journey  to  the 
frontiers  of  France.  Little  Louis  Napoleon, 
though  then  but  seven  years  of  age,  seemed 
fully  to  comprehend  the  disaster  which  had 
overwhelmed  them,  and  that  they  were  ban- 
ished from  their  native  land.  With  intelli- 
gence far  above  his  years  he  conversed  with 
his  mother,  and  she  found  great  difficulty  in 
-consoling  him.  It  was  through  the  influence 
of  such  terrible  scenes  as  these  that  the  char- 
acter of  that  remarkable  man  has  been  formed. 

It  was  nine  o'clock  in  the  evening  when 
Hortense  and  her  two  little  boys,  accompanied 
by  Prince  Schwartzenberg,  reached  the  Chateau 
de  Bercy,  where  they  passed  the  night.  The 
next  morning  the  journey  was  resumed  to- 
wards the  frontiers.  It  was  the  intention  of 
Hortense  to  take  refuge  in  a  very  retired  coun- 
try-seat which  she  owned  at  Pregny,  in  Swit- 
zerland, near  Geneva.  At  some  points  on  her 
journey  the  Royalists  assailed  her  with  re- 
proaches. Again  she  was  cheered  by  loudly- 
expressed  manifestations  of  the  sympathy  and 
affection  of  the  people.  At  Dijon  the  multi- 
tude crowding  around  her  carriage,  supposing 


230  HORTENSE.  [1815. 

Takes  refuge  at  Aix. 

that  she  was  being  conveyed  into  captivity, 
gallantly  attempted  a  rescue.  They  were  only 
appeased  by  the  assurance  of  Hortense  that 
she  was  under  the  protection  of  a  friend. 

Scarcely  had  this  melancholy  wanderer  en- 
tered upon  her  residence  at  Pregny,  with  the 
title  of  the  Duchess  of  St.  Leu,  ere  the  French 
minister  in  Switzerland  commanded  the  Swiss 
government  to  issue  an  order  expelling  her 
from  the  Swiss  territory.  Switzerland  could 
not  safely  disregard  the  mandate  of  the  Bour- 
bons of  France,  who  were  sustained  in  their 
enthronement  by  allied  Europe.  Thus  pur- 
sued by  the  foes  of  the  Empire,  Hortense  re- 
paired to  Aix,  in  Savoy.  Here  she  met  a  cor- 
dial welcome.  The  people  remembered  her 
frequent  visits  to  those  celebrated  springs,  her 
multiplied  charities,  and  here  still  stood,  as  an 
ever-during  memorial  of  her  kindness  of  heart, 
the  hospital  which  she  had  founded  and  so 
munificently  endowed.  The  magistrates  at 
Aix  formally  invited  her  to  remain  at  Aix  so 
long  as  the  Allied  powers  would  allow  her  to 
make  that  place  her  residence. 

It  seemed  as  though  Hortense  were  destined 
to  drain  the  cup  of  sorrow  to  its  dregs.  Aix 
•was  the  scene  of  the  dreadful  death  of  Madame 


1815.]    THE  SORROWS  OF  EXILE.     231 


Separation  of  the  princes. 


Broc,  which  we  have  above  described.  Every 
thing  around  her  reminded  her  of  that  terrible 
calamity,  and  oppressed  her  spirits  with  the 
deepest  gloom.  And,  to  add  unutterably  to 
her  anguish,  an  agent  arrived  at  Aix  from  her 
husband,  Louis  Bonaparte,  furnished  with  all 
competent  legal  powers  to  take  custody  of  the 
eldest  child  and  convey  him  to  his  father  in 
Italy.  It  will  be  remembered  that  the  court 
had  decided  that  the  father  should  have  the 
eldest  and  the  mother  the  youngest  child.  The 
stormy  events  of  the  "  Hundred  Days  "  had  in- 
terrupted all  proceedings  upon  this  matter. 

This  separation  was  a  terrible  trial  not  only 
to  the  mother,  but  to  the  two  boys.  The  pe- 
culiarities of  their  dispositions  and  tempera- 
ments fitted  them  to  assimilate  admirably  to- 
gether. Napoleon  Louis,  the  elder,  was  bold, 
resolute,  high-spirited.  Louis  Napoleon,  the 
younger,  was  gentle,  thoughtful,  and  pensive. 
The  parting  was  very  affecting — Louis  Napo- 
leon throwing  his  arms  around  his  elder  broth- 
er, and  weeping  as  though  his  heart  would 
break.  The  thoughtful  child,  thus  companion- 
less,  now  turned  to  his  mother  with  the  full 
flow  of  his  affectionate  nature.  A  French 
writer,  speaking  of  these  scenes,  says : 


232  HORTENSE.  [Iblo. 

Continued  persecutions. 

"The  soul  of  Hortense  had  been  already 
steeped  in  misfortune,  but  her  power  of  endur- 
ance seemed  at  length  exhausted.  When  she 
had  embraced  her  son  for  the  last  time,  and 
beheld  the  carriage  depart  which  bore  him 
away,  a  deep  despondency  overwhelmed  her 
spirits.  Her  very  existence  became  a  dream  ; 
and  it  seemed  a  matter  of  indifference  to  her 
whether  her  lot  was  to  enjoy  or  to  suffer,  to  be 
persecuted,  respected,  or  forgotten." 

And  now  came  another  blow  upon  the  be- 
wildered brain  and  throbbing  heart  of  Hor- 
tense. The  Allies  did  not  deem  it  safe  to  al- 
low Hortense  and  her  child  to  reside  so  near 
the  frontiers  of  France.  They  knew  that  the 
French  people  detested  the  Bourbons.  They 
knew  that  all  France,  upon  the  first  favorable 
opportunity,  would  rise  in  the  attempt  to  re- 
establish the  Empire.  The  Sardinian  govern- 
ment was  accordingly  ordered  to  expel  Hor- 
tense from  Savoy.  Where  should  she  go  ?  It 
seemed  as  though  all  Europe  would  refuse  a 
home  to  this  bereaved,  heart-broken  lady  and 
her  child.  She  remembered  her  cousin,  Ste- 
phanie Beauharnais,  her  schoolmate,  whom  her 
mother  and  Napoleon  had  so  kindly  sheltered 
and  provided  for  in  the  days  when  the  Royal- 


1815.]   THE  SORROWS  OF  EXILE.     233 


Hospitality  of  the  Swiss. 


ists  were  in  exile.  Stephanie  was  the  lady  to 
whom  her  father  had  been  so  tenderly  attach- 
ed. She  was  now  in  prosperity  and  power, 
the  wife  of  the  Grand  Duke  of  Baden.  Hor- 
tense  decided  to  seek  a  residence  at  Constance, 
in  the  territory  of  Baden,  persuaded  that  the 
duke  and  duchess  would  not  drive  her,  home- 
less and  friendless,  from  their  soil,  out  again 
into  the  stormy  world. 

To  reach  Baden  it  was  necessary  to  pass 
through  Switzerland.  The  Swiss  government, 
awed  by  France,  at  first  refused  to  give  her 
permission  to  traverse  their  territory.  But  the 
Duke  of  Richelieu  intervened  in  her  favor, 
and,  by  remonstrating  against  such  cruelty,  ob- 
tained the  necessary  passport.  It  was  now  the 
month  of  November.  Cold  storms  swept  the 
snow-clad  hills  and  the  valleys.  Hortense  de- 
parted from  Aix,  taking  with  her  her  son  Louis 
Napoleon,  his  private  tutor,  the  Abbe.  Bertrand, 
her  reader,  Mademoiselle  Cochelet,  and  an  at- 
tendant. She  wished  to  spend  the  first  night 
at  her  own  house,  at  Pregny ;  but  even  this 
slight  gratification  was  forbidden  her. 

The  police  were  instructed  to  watch  her  care- 
fully all  the  way.  At  Morat  she  was  even  ar- 
rested, and  detained  a  prisoner  two  days,  until 


234  HORTENSE.  [1815. 


Anguish  of  Hortense. 


instructions  should  be  received  from  the  dis- 
tant authorities.  At  last  she  reached  the  city 
of  Constance.  But  even  here  she  found  that 
her  sorrows  had  not  yet  terminated.  Neither 
the  Duke  of  Baden  nor  the  Duchess  ventured 
to  welcome  her.  On  the  contrary,  immediate- 
ly upon  her  arrival,  she  received  an  official 
notification  that,  however  anxious  the  grand 
duke  and  duchess  might  be  to  afford  her  hos- 
pitable shelter,  they  were  under  the  control  of 
higher  powers,  and  they  must  therefore  request 
her  to  leave  the  duchy  without  delay.  It  was 
now  intimated  that  the  only  countries  in  Eu- 
rope which  would  be  allowed  to  afford  her 
a  shelter  were  Austria,  Prussia,  or  Russia. 

The  storms  of  winter  were  sweeping  those 
northern  latitudes.  The  health  of  Hortense 
was  extremely  frail.  She  was  fatherless  and 
motherless,  alienated  from  her  husband,  be- 
reaved of  one  of  her  children,  and  all  her  fam- 
ily friends  dispersed  by  the  ban  of  exile.  She 
had  no  kind  friends  to  consult,  and  she  knew 
not  which  way  to  turn.  Thus  distracted  and 
crushed,  she  wrote  an  imploring  letter  to  her 
cousins,  the  Duke  and  Duchess  of  Baden,  stat- 
ing the  feeble  condition  of  her  health,  the  in- 
clement weather,  her  utter  friendlessness,  and 


1815.]   THE  SORROWS  OF  EXILE.     235 


Retires  to  the  Lake  of  Constance. 


exhaustion  from  fatigue  and  sorrow,  and  beg- 
ging permission  to  remain  in  Constance  until 
the  ensuing  spring. 

In  reply  she  received  a  private  letter  from 
the  grand  duchess,  her  cousin  Stephanie,  as- 
suring her  of  her  sympathy,  and  of  the  cor- 
diality with  which  she  would  openly  receive 
and  welcome  her,  if  she  did  but  dare  to  do  so. 
In  conclusion,  the  duchess  wrote :  "  Have  pa- 
tience, and  do  not  be  uneasy.  Perhaps  all  will 
be  right  by  spring.  By  that  time  passions  will 
be  calmed,  and  many  things  will  have  been 
forgotten." 

Though  this  letter  did  not  give  any  positive 
permission  to  remain,  it  seemed  at  least  to  im- 
ply that  soldiers  would  not  be  sent  to  transport 
her,  by  violence,  out  of  the  territory.  Some- 
what cheered  by  this  assurance,  she  rented  a 
small  house,  in  a  very  retired  situation  upon 
the  western  shore  of  the  Lake  of  Constance. 
Though  in  the  disasters  of  the  times  she  had 
lost  much  property,  she  still  had  an  ample 
competence.  Her  beloved  brother,  Eugene, 
it  will  be  remembered,  had  married  a  daughter 
of  the  King  of  Bavaria.  He  was  one  of  the 
noblest  of  men  and  the  best  of  brothers.  As 
soon  as  possible,  he  took  up  his  residence  near 


236  HORTENSE.  [1815. 


Prince  Eugene. 


his  sister.  He  also  was  in  the  enjoyment  of 
an  ample  fortune.  Thus  there  seemed  to  be 
for  a  short  time  a  lull  in  those  angry  storms 
which  for  so  long  had  risen  dark  over  the  way 
of  Hortense. 

In  this  distant  and  secluded  home,  upon  the 
borders  of  the  lake,  Hortense  and  her  small 
harmonious  household  passed  the  winter  of 
1815.  Though  she  mourned  over  the  absence 
of  her  elder  child,  little  Louis  Napoleon  cheer- 
ed her  by  his  bright  intelligence  and  his  in- 
tense affectionateness.  Prince  Eugene  often 
visited  his  sister ;  and  many  of  the  illustrious 
generals  and  civilians,  who  during  the  glories 
of  the  Empire  had  filled  Europe  with  their  re- 
nown, were  allured  as  occasional  guests  to  the 
home  of  this  lovely  woman,  who  had  shared 
with  them  in  the  favors  and  the  rebuffs  of  for- 
tune. 

Hortense  devoted  herself  assiduously  to  the 
education  of  her  son.  She  understood  thor- 
oughly the  political  position  of  France.  For- 
eigners, with  immense  armies,  had  invaded  the 
kingdom,  and  forced  upon  the  reluctant  people 
a  detested  dynasty.  Napoleon  was  Emperor 
by  popular  election.  The  people  still,  with 
almost  entire  unanimity,  desired  the  Empire. 


1815.]   THE  SORROWS  OF  EXILE.     237 


Testimony  of  Lady  Blessington. 


And  Hortense  knew  full  well  that,  so  soon  as 
the  French  people  could  get  strength  to  break 
the  chains  with  which  foreign  armies  had 
bound  them,  they  would  again  drive  out  the 
Bourbons  and  re-establish  the  Empire. 

Hortense  consequently  never  allowed  her 
son  to  forget  the  name  he  bore,  or  the  political 
principles  which  his  uncle,  the  Emperor,  had 
borne  upon  his  banners  throughout  Europe. 
The  subsequent  life  of  this  child  has  proved 
how  deep  was  the  impression  produced  upon 
his  mind,  as  pensively,  silently  he  listened  to 
the  conversation  of  the  statesmen  and  the  gen- 
erals who  often  visited  his  mother's  parlor. 
Lady  Blessington  about  this  time  visited  Hor- 
tense, and  sb'e  gives  the  following  account  of 
the  impression  which  the  visit  produced  upon 
her  mind : 

"  Though  prepared  to  meet  in  Hortense  Bona- 
parte, ex-Queen  of  Holland,  a  woman  possessed 
of  no  ordinary  powers  of  captivation,  she  has, 
I  confess,  far  exceeded  my  expectations.  I 
have  seen  her  frequently,  and  spent  two  hours 
yesterday  in  her  society.  Never  did  time  fly 
away  with  greater  rapidity  than  while  listen- 
ing to  her  conversation,  and  hearing  her  sing 
those  charming  little  French  romances,  written. 


HORTENSE.  [1815. 


Testimony  of  Lady  Blessington. 


and  composed  by  herself,  which,  though  I  had 
often  admired  them,  never  previously  struck 
me  as  being  so  expressive  and  graceful  as  they 
now  proved  to  be. 

"  I  know  not  that  I  ever  encountered  a  per- 
son with  so  fine  a  tact  or  so  quick  an  appre- 
hension as  the  Duchess  of  St.  Leu.  These  give 
her  the  power  of  rapidly  forming  an  apprecia- 
tion of  those  with  whom  she  comes  in  contact, 
and  of  suiting  the  subjects  of  conversation  to 
their  tastes  and  comprehensions.  Thus,  with 
the  grave  she  is  serious,  with  the  lively  gay, 
-and  with  the  scientific  she  only  permits  just  a 
sufficient  extent  of  her  savoir  to  be  revealed  to 
encourage  the  development  of  theirs. 

"  She  is,  in  fact,  all  things  to  all  men,  with- 
out losing  a  single  portion  of  her  own  natural 
•character;  a  peculiarity  of  which  seems  to  be 
the  desire,  as  well  as  the  power,  of  sending  all 
away  who  approach  her  satisfied  with  them- 
selves and  delighted  with  her.  Yet  there  is 
•no  unworthy  concession  of  opinions  made,  or 
tacit  acquiescence  yielded,  to  conciliate  popu- 
larity. She  assents  to  or  dissents  from  the 
sentiments  of  others  with  a  mildness  and  good 
sense  which  gratifies  those  with  whom  she  coin- 
cides, or  disarms  those  from  whom  she  differs." 


1816.]  PEACEFUL  DAYS,  YET  SAD.    239 


Visits  the  Baths  of  Geiss. 


A 


CHAPTER  VIII. 
PEACEFUL  DAYS,  YET  SAD. 

S  the  spring  of  the  year  1816  opened  upon 
Europe,  Hortense  was  found  residing  un- 
disturbed, with  her  son,  Louis  Napoleon,  in 
their  secluded  home  upon  the  shores  of  Lake 
Constance.  The  Allies  seemed  no  longer  dis- 
posed to  disturb  her.  Still,  she  had  many  in- 
dications that  she  was  narrowly  watched.  She 
was  much  cheered  by  a  visit  which  she  made 
to  her  brother  at  Berg,  on  the  Wurmsee,  where 
she  was  received  with  that  warmth  of  affection 
which  her  wounded  heart  so  deeply  craved. 
Her  health  being  still  very  frail,  she,  by  the  ad- 
vice of  her  physicians,  spent  the  heat  of  sum- 
mer at  the  baths  of  Geiss,  among  the  mount- 
ains of  Appenzell.  Her  son,  Louis  Napoleon,, 
was  constantly  with  her.  Nearly  the  whole 
attention  of  the  mother  was  devoted  to  his  ed- 
ucation. 

She  had  the  general  superintendence  of  all 
his  studies,  teaching  him  herself  drawing  and 
dancing,  often  listening  to  his  recitations  and 


240  HORTENSE.  [181ft 

Watchfulness  of  the  Allies. 

guiding  his  reading.  Her  own  highly-cultiva- 
ted mind  enabled  her  to  do  this  to  great  ad- 
vantage. The  young  prince  read  aloud  to  his 
mother  in  the  evenings,  the  selections  being 
regulated  in  accordance  with  his  studies  in 
geography  or  history.  Saturday  Hortense  de- 
voted the  entire  day  to  her  son,  reviewing  all 
the  reading  and  studies  of  the  week.  In  ad- 
dition to  the  Abbe  Bertrand,  another  teacher 
was  employed,  M.  Lebas,  a  young  professor  of 
much  distinction  from  the  Normal  School  of 
Paris. 

Thus  the  summer  and  autumn  of  1816  passed 
tranquilly  away.  But  the  eagle  eye  of  the 
Bourbons  was  continually  upon  Hortense. 
They  watched  every  movement  she  made,  she 
could  not  leave  her  home,  or  receive  a  visit 
from  any  distinguished  stranger,  without  ex- 
tiiting  their  alarm.  Their  uneasiness  at  length 
became  so  great  that,  early  in  the  year  1817, 
the  Duke  of  Baden  received  peremptory  orders 
that  he  must  immediately  expel  Hortense  and 
her  child  from  his  territory.  The  Bourbons 
could  not  allow  such  dangerous  personages  to 
dwell  so  near  the  frontiers  of  France.  Hor- 
tense was  a  feeble,  heart-broken  woman.  Her 
child  was  but  eight  years  of  age.  But  they 


1817.]  PEACEFUL  DAYS,  YET  SAD.     241 


The  retreat  of  Arenemberg. 


were  representatives  of  the  Empire.  And  the 
Bourbons  were  ever  terror-stricken  lest  the 
French  people  should  rise  in  insurrection,  and 
demand  the  restoration  of  that  Empire,  of 
which  foreign  armies  had  robbed  them. 

In  the  extreme  north-eastern  portion  of  Swit- 
zerland, on  the  southern  shores  of  the  Lake  of 
Constance,  there  was  the  small  Swiss  canton  of 
Thurgovia.  The  gallant  magistrates  of  the 
canton  informed  Hortense  that  if  she  wished 
to  establish  herself  in  their  country,  she  should 
be  protected  by  both  the  magistrates  and  the 
people.  The  ex-queen  had  occasionally  enter- 
ed the  canton  in  her  drives,  and  had  observed 
with  admiration  a  modest  but  very  beautiful 
chateau  called  Arenemberg,  very  picturesque- 
ly located  on  the  borders  of  the  lake.  She 
purchased  the  estate  for  about  sixty  thousand 
francs.  This  became  a  very  delightful  summer 
residence,  though  in  winter  it  presented  a  bleak 
exposure,  swept  by  piercing  winds.  Until  the 
death  of  Hortense,  Arenemberg  continued  to 
be  her  favorite  place  of  residence. 

To  add  to  this  transient  gleam  of  happiness, 
there  was  now  a  partial  reconciliation  between 
Hortense  and  her  husband ;  and,  to  the  un- 
speakable joy  of  the  mother  and  Louis  Napole- 

5—16 


242  HORTENSE.  [18ia 

The  princes  enter  college. 

on,  they  enjoyed  a  visit  of  several  months  from 
Napoleon  Louis.  It  is  not  easy  to  imagine  the 
happiness  which  this  reunion  created,  after 
a  separation  of  nearly  three  years. 

The  judicious  mother  now  thought  it  im- 
portant that  her  sons  should  enjoy  the  advan- 
tages of  a  more  public  education  than  that  which 
they  had  been  receiving  from  private  tutors  at 
home.  She  accordingly  took  them  both  to 
Augsburg,  in  Bavaria,  where  they  entered  the 
celebrated  college  of  that  city.  Hortense  en- 
gaged a  handsome  residence  there,  that  she 
might  still  be  with  her  sons,  whom  she  loved 
so  tenderly.  A  French  gentleman  of  distinc- 
tion, travelling  in  that  region,  had  the  honor  of 
an  introduction  to  her,  and  gives  the  following 
account  of  his  visit : 

"  Eeturning  to  France  in  1819,  after  a  long 
residence  in  Eussia,  I  stopped  at  Augsburg, 
where  the  Duchess  of  St.  Leu  was  then  a  resi- 
dent. I  had  hitherto  only  known  her  by  re- 
port Some  Russian  officers,  who  had  accom- 
panied the  Emperor  Alexander  to  Malmaison 
in  1814,  had  spoken  to  me  of  Hortense  with  so 
much  enthusiasm,  that  for  the  first  few  mo- 
ments it  appeared  as  if  I  saw  her  again  after  a 
long  absence,  and  as  if  I  owed  my  kind  recep 


1819.]  PEACEFUL  DAYS,  YET  SAD.    243 


Loveliness  of  Hortense. 


tion  to  the  ties  of  ancient  friendship.  Every 
thing  about  her  is  in  exact  harmony  with  the 
angelic  expression  of  her  face,  her  conversation, 
demeanor,  and  the  sweetness  of  her  voice  and 
disposition. 

"  When  she  speaks  of  an  affecting  incident, 
the  language  becomes  more  touching  through 
the  depths  of  her  sensibility.  She  lends  so 
much  life  to  every  scene,  that  the  auditor  be- 
comes witness  of  the  transaction.  Her  powers 
of  instructing  and  delighting  are  almost  magic- 
al ;  and  her  artless  fascination  leaves  on  every 
heart  those  deep  traces  which  even  time  can 
never  efface. 

"She  introduced  me  to  her  private  circle, 
which  consisted  of  the  two  children  and  their 
tutors,  some  old  officers  of  her  household,  two 
female  friends  of  her  infancy,  and  that  living 
monument  of  conjugal  devotion,  Count  Laval- 
lette.*  The  conversation  soon  became  general. 

*  Count  Lavallette  was  one  of  the  devoted  friends  of  Na- 
poleon, who  had  long  served  in  the  armies  of  the  Empire. 
For  the  welcome  he  gave  Napoleon  on  his  return  from  Elba 
he  was  doomed,  by  the  Bourbons,  to  death.  While  prepara- 
•  fions  were  being  made  for  his  execution,  his  wife  and  daugh- 
ter, with  her  governess,  were  permitted  to  visit  him.  Very 
adroitly  he  escaped  in  his  wife's  clothes,  she  remaining  in  his 
place.  Irritated  by  this  escape,  the  Government  held  his  wife 
a  prisoner  until  she  became  a  confirmed  lunatic. 


244  HORTENSE.  [1819L 

.  Letter  from  a  visitor. 

They  questioned  me  about  the  Ukraine,  where 
I  long  had  resided,  and  Greece  and  Turkey,, 
through  which  I  had  lately  travelled. 

"In  return,  they  spoke  of  Bavaria,  St.  Leur 
the  Lake  of  Constance,  and,  by  degrees,  of 
events  deriving  their  chief  interest  from  the 
important  parts  played  by  the  narrators  them- 
selves. We  dined  at  five.  I  afterwards  ac- 
companied the  duchess  into  the  garden,  and, 
in  the  few  moments  then  enjoyed  of  intimate 
conversation,  I  saw  that  no  past  praises  had 
ever  been  exaggerated.  How  admirable  were 
her  feelings  when  she  recalled  the  death  of  her 
mother,  and  in  her  tragic  recital  of  the  death, 
of  Madame  Broc. 

"  But  when  she  spoke  of  her  children,  her 
friends,  and  the  fine  arts,  her  whole  figure 
seemed  to  glow  with  the  ardor  of  her  imagina- 
tion. Goodness  of  heart  was  displayed  in 
every  feature,  and  gave  additional  value  to  her 
other  estimable  qualities.  In  describing  her- 
present  situation  it  was  impossible  to  avoid 
mentioning  her  beloved  France. 

"  '  You  are  returning,'  said  she,  '  to  your  na- 
tive country;'  and  the  last  word  was  pro- 
nounced with  a  heartfelt  sigh.  I  had  been  ani 
exile  from  my  cradle,  yet  my  own  eager  anx- 


1819.]  PEACEFUL  DAYS,  YET  SAD.    245- 


Letter  from  a  visitor. 


iety  to  revisit  a  birth-place  scarcely  remember- 
ed, enabled  me  to  estimate  her  grief  at  the* 
thoughts  of  an  eternal  separation.  She  spoke- 
of  the  measures  adopted  for  her  banishment 
with  that  true  resignation  which  mourns  but 
never  murmurs.  After  two  hours  of  similar- 
conversation,  it  was  impossible  to  decide  which 
was  the  most  admirable,  her  heart,  her  good 
sense,  or  her  imagination. 

"  We  returned  to  the  drawing-room  at  eight,, 
where  tea  was  served.  The  duchess  observed 
that  this  was  a  habit  learned  in  Holland, 
'though  you  are  not  to  suppose,'  she  added, 
with  a  slight  blush,  '  that  it  is  preserved  as  a 
remembrance  of  days  so  brilliant,  but  now  al- 
ready so  distant.  Tea  is  the  drink  of  cold 
climates,  and  I  have  scarcely  changed  my  tem- 
perature.' 

"Numerous  visitors  came  from  the  neigh- 
borhood, and  some  even  from  Munich.  She 
may,  indeed,  regard  this  attention  with  a  feel- 
ing of  proud  gratification.  It  is  based  upon 
esteem  alone,  and  is  far  more  honorable  than, 
the  tiresome  adulation  of  sycophants  while  at 
St.  Cloud  or  the  Hague.  In  the  course  of  the 
evening  we  looked  through  a  suite  of  rooms 
containing,  besides  a  few  master-pieces  of  the- 


246  HORTENSE.  {1819. 

Social  life  at  Arenemberg. 

different  schools,  a  large  collection  of  precious 
r-uriosities.  Many  of  these  elegant  trifles  had 
once  belonged  to  her  mother ;  and  nearly  ev- 
ery one  was  associated  with  the  remembrance 
of  some  distinguished  personage  or  celebrated 
event.  Indeed,  her  museum  might  almost  be 
called  an  abridgment  of  contemporary  history. 
Music  was  the  next  amusement ;  and  the  duch- 
ess sang,  accompanying  herself  with  the  same 
correct  taste  which  inspires  her  compositions. 
She  had  just  finished  the  series  of  drawings  in- 
tended to  illustrate  her  collection  of  romances. 
How  could  I  avoid  praising  that  happy  talent 
which  thus  personifies  thought?  The  next 
day  I  received  that  beautiful  collection  as  a 
remembrance. 

"I  took  my  leave  at  midnight,  perhaps  with- 
out even  the  hope  of  another  meeting.  I  left 
her  as  the  traveller  parts  from  the  flowers  of 
the  desert,  to  which  he  can  never  hope  to  re- 
turn. But,  wherever  time,  accident,  or  destiny 
may  place  me,  the  remembrance  of  that  day 
will  remain  indelibly  imprinted  alike  on  my 
memory  and  heart  It  is  pleasing  to  pay  hom- 
age to  the  fallen  greatness  of  one  like  Hortense, 
who  joins  the  rare  gift  of  talents  to  the  charms 
•of  the  tenderest  sensibility." 


BORTEXSE   AT    ARENEMBERG. 


1819.]  PEACEFUL  DAYS,  YET  SAD.   249 


Scenery  at  Arenemberg. 


The  residence  of  Hortense  in  Augsburg  was 
in  a  mansion,  since  called  Pappenheirn  Palace, 
in  Holy  Cross  Street.  After  the  graduation 
of  her  children,  Hortense,  with  Louis  Napo- 
leon, spent  most  of  their  time  at  Arenemberg, 
interspersed  with  visits  to  Eome  and  Florence. 
The  beautiful  chateau  was  situated  upon  a 
swell  of  land,  with  green  lawns  and  a  thick 
growth  of  forest  trees,  through  which  there 
were  enchanting  views  of  the  mountain  and 
of  the  lake.  The  spacious  grounds  were  em- 
bellished with  the  highest  artistic  skill,  with 
terraces,  trellis-work  woodbines,  and  rare  ex- 
otics. 

"  The  views,"  writes  an  English  visitor, 
"  which  were  in  some  places  afforded  through 
the  woods,  and  in  others,  by  their  rapid  de- 
scent, carried  over  them,  were  broken  in  a 
manner  which  represented  them  doubly  beau- 
tiful. From  one  peep  you  caught  the  small 
vine-clad  island  of  Reichman,  with  its  cottage 
gleams  trembling  upon  the  twilighted  lake. 
From  another  you  had  a  noble  reach  of  the 
Rhine,  going  forth  from  its  brief  resting-place 
to  battle  its  way  down  the  Falls  of  Schaffhau- 
sen ;  and  beyond  it  the  eye  reposed  upon  the 
distant  outline  of  the  Black  Forest,  melting 


250  HORTENSE.  [1819. 

Pleasant  neighbors. 

warmly  in  the  west.  In  a  third  direction  you 
saw  the  vapory  steeples  of  Constance,  appar- 
ently sinking  in  the  waters  which  almost  sur- 
rounded them ;  and  far  away  you  distinguish 
the  little  coast  villages,  like  fading  constella- 
tions, glimmering  fainter  and  fainter,  till  land 
and  lake  and  sky  were  blended  together  in  ob- 
scurity." 

Not  far  distant  was  the  imposing  chateau  of 
Wolfberg,  which  had  been  purchased  by  Gen- 
eral Parguin,  a  young  French  officer  of  the 
Empire  of  much  distinction.  He  had  married 
Mademoiselle  Cochelet,  and  became  one  of  the 
most  intimate  friends  of  Louis  Napoleon. 

Prince  Eugene  had  also  built  him  a  house  in 
the  vicinity,  that  he  might  be  near  his  sister 
and  share  her  solitude.  Just  as  the  house  was 
finished,  and  before  he  moved  into  it,  Eugene 
died.  This  was  another  crushing  blow  to  the 
heart  of  Hortense.  She  was  in  Rome  at  the 
time,  and  we  shall  have  occasion  to  refer  to 
the  event  again. 

Hortense,  in  her  retirement,  was  no  less  a 
queen  than  when  the  diadem  was  upon  her 
brow.  Though  at  the  farthest  possible  remove 
from  all  aristocratic  pride,  her  superior  mind, 
her  extraordinary  attainments,  and  her  queen- 


1819.]   PEACEFUL  DAYS,  YET  SAD.    251 


An  evening  scene. 


ly  grace  and  dignity,  invested  her  with  no  less 
influence  over  the  hearts  of  her  friends  than 
she  enjoyed  in  her  days  of  regal  power.  A 
visitor  at  Wolf  berg,  in  the  following  language,, 
describes  a  call  which  Hortense  made  upon 
Madame  Parguin  and  her  guests  at  the  cha- 
teau: 

"  One  fine  evening,  as  we  were  all  distrib- 
uted about  the  lawn  at  Wolfberg,  there  was 
an  alarm  that  Hortense  was  coming  to  visit 
Madame  Parguin.  As  I  saw  her  winding 
slowly  up  the  hill,  with  all  her  company,  in 
three  little  summer  carriages,  the  elegance  of 
the  cavalcade,  in  scenes  where  elegance  waa 
so  rare,  was  exceedingly  striking. 

"  The  appearance  of  Hortense  was  such  as. 
could  not  fail  to  excite  admiration  and  kind 
feeling.  Her  countenance  was  full  of  talent,, 
blended  with  the  mild  expression  of  a  perfect 
gentlewoman.  Her  figure,  though  not  beyond 
the  middle  height,  was  of  a  mould  altogether 
majestic.  She  lamented  that  she  had  not  soon- 
er known  of  the  purposed  length  of  our  stay 
in  that  part  of  Switzerland,  as,  having  con- 
ceived that  we  were  merely  passing  a  few 
days,  she  had  been  unwilling  to  occupy  our 
time.  She  then  spoke  of  her  regret  at  not 


'252  HORTENSE.  [1819. 

Theatric  entertainment*. 

being  able  to  entertain  us  according  to  her 
wishes.  And,  finally,  she  told  us  that  she  had 
in  agitation  some  little  theatricals  which,  if  we 
could  bear  with  such  trifles,  we  should  do  her 
pleasure  in  attending.  All  this  was  said  with 
-simple  and  winning  eloquence." 

The  room  for  this  little  theatric  entertain- 
ment was  in  a  small  building,  beautifully  dec- 
orated, near  the  house.  Many  distinguished 
guests  were  present;  many  from  Constance; 
so  that  the  apartment  was  crowded  to  its  ut- 
most capacity.  There  were  two  short  plays 
enacted.  In  one  Hortense  took  a  leading  part 
in  scenes  of  trial  and  sorrow,  in  which  her  pe- 
culiar powers  were  admirably  displayed.  Even 
making  all  suitable  allowance  for  the  polite- 
ness due  from  guests  to  their  host,  it  is  evident 
that  Hortense  possessed  dramatic  talent  of  a 
very  high  order. 

From  the  theatre  the  guests  returned  to  the 
chateau,  where  preparations  had  been  made 
for  dancing.  In  the  intervals  between  the 
dances  there  was  singing,  accompanied  by  the 
piano.  "  Here,  again,"  writes  one  of  the  guests, 
"  Hortense  was  perfectly  at  home.  .  She  sang 
several  songs,  of  which  I  afterwards  found  her 
to  be  the  unacknowledged  composer.  Among 


1819.]  PEACEFUL  DAYS,  YET  SAD.    253 


Taste  and  culture. 


these  was  the  beautiful  air,  Partant  pour  la  Sy- 
rie,  which  will  be  a  fair  guaranty  that  I  do  not 
eay  too  much  for  the  rest." 

At  the  close  of  the  evening,  as  the  guests 
began  to  depart,  the  remainder  were  dispersed 
through  the  suite  of  rooms,  admiring  the  vari- 
ous objects  of  curiosity  and  of  beauty  with 
which  they  are  decorated.  There  were  some 
beautiful  paintings,  and  several  pieces  of  ex- 
quisite statuary.  Upon  the  tables  there  were 
•engravings,  drawing-books,  and  works  of  belles- 
lettres. 

"I  chanced,"  writes  the  visitor  from  whom 
we  have  above  quoted,  "to  place  my  hand 
upon  a  splendid  album,  and  had  the  further 
good-fortune  to  seat  myself  beside  a  beautiful 
young  dame  de  compagnie  of  the  duchess,  who 
gave  me  the  history  of  all  the  treasures  I  found 
therein.  Whatever  I  found  most  remarkable 
was  still  the  work  of  Hortense.  Of  a  series  of 
small  portraits,  sketched  by  her  in  colors,  the 
likeness  of  those  of  which  I  had  seen  the  sub- 
jects would  have  struck  me,  though  turned 
upside  down.  She  had  the  same  power  and 
the  same  affectionate  feeling  for  fixing  the  re- 
membrance of  places  likewise. 

"  The  landscapes  which  she  had  loved  in  for- 


254:  HORTENSE.  [1819. 

Accomplishments  of  Hortense, 

bidden  France,  even  the  apartments  which  she 
had  inhabited,  were  executed  in  a  manner  that 
put  to  shame  the  best  amateur  performances  I 
had  ever  seen.  There  was  a  minute  attention 
to  fidelity  in  them,  too,  which  a  recollection  of 
her  present  circumstances  could  not  fail  to  bring 
home  to  the  spectator's  heart 

"  I  -know  not  when  my  interest  would  have 
cooled  in  this  mansion  of  taste  and  talent.  To- 
wards morning  I  was  obliged  to  take  my  leave  r 
and  I  doubt  if  there  were  any  individual  who 
returned  home  by  that  bright  moonlight,  with- 
out feeling  that  Hortense  had  been  born  some 
century  and  a  half  too  late.  For  an  age  of 
bigots  and  turncoats  she,  indeed,  seemed  un- 
suited.  In  that  of  true  poetry  and  trusty  cava- 
liers, she  would  have  been  the  subject  of  the 
best  rhymes  and  rencontres  in  romantic  France. 

"  After  this  I  saw  her  frequently,  both  at  her 
own  house  and  at  Wolf  berg,  and  I  never  found 
any  thing  to  destroy  the  impression  which  I  re- 
ceived on  my  introduction.  Independently  of 
the  interest  attached  to  herself,  she  had  always 
in  her  company  some  person  who  had  made  a 
noise  in  the  world,  and  had  become  an  object 
of  curiosity.  At  one  time  it  was  a  distinguished 
painter  or  poet;  again,  it  was  a  battered  soldier, 


1819.]  PEACEFUL  DAYS,  YET  SAD.    255 


Society  at  Arenemberg. 


who  preferred  resting  in  retirement  to  the  im- 
putation of  changing  his  politics  for  advance- 
ment ;  then  a  grand  duke  or  duchess  who  had 
undergone  as  many  vicissitudes  as  herself;  and, 
finally,  the  widow  of  the  unfortunate  Marshal 
Key. 

"There  was  something  in  the  last  of  these 
characters,  particularly  when  associated  with 
Hortense,  more  interesting  than  all  the  others. 
She  was  a  handsome,  but  grave  and  silent 
woman,  and  still  clad  in  mourning  for  her  hus- 
band, whose  death,  so  connected  with  the  ban- 
ishment of  the  duchess,  could  not  fail  to  render 
them  deeply  sympathetic  in  each  other's  for- 
tunes. The  amusements  provided  for  all  this 
company  consisted  of  such  as  I  have  mentioned 
— expeditions  to  various  beautiful  spots  in  the 
neighborhood,  and  music  parties  on  the  water. 
The  last  of  these  used  sometimes  to  have  a  pe- 
culiarly romantic  effect ;  for  on  fete  days  the 
young  peasant  girls,  all  glittering  in  their  gold- 
en tinsel  bonnets,  would  push  off  with  their 
sweethearts,  like  mad  things,  in  whatever  boats 
they  could  find  upon  the  beach.  I  have  seen, 
them  paddling  their  little  fleet  round  the  duch- 
ess's boat  with  all  the  curiosity  of  savages 
round  a  man-of-war. 


256  HORTENSE.  [1819. 

Amiability  of  Hortense, 

"  At  length  the  time  arrived  for  me  to  bid 
adieu  to  Switzerland.  It  was  arranged  that  I 
should  set  out  for  Italy  with  a  small  party  of 
my  Wolf  berg  friends.  An  evening  or  two  be- 
fore we  departed  we  paid  a  leave-taking  visit 
to  the  duchess.  She  expressed  much  polite 
regret  at  our  intention,  and  gave  us  a  cordial 
invitation  to  renew  our  acquaintance  with  her 
in  the  winter  at  Eome.  Her  care,  indeed,  tc* 
leave  a  good  impression  of  her  friendly  dispo- 
sition upon  our  minds,  was  exceedingly  grati- 
fying. She  professed  to  take  an  interest  in 
the  plans  which  each  of  us  had  formed,  and, 
when  her  experience  qualified  her,  gave  us  in- 
structions for  our  travels. 

"  When  we  rose  to  depart,  the  night  being 
fine,  she  volunteered  to  walk  part  of  the  way 
home  with  us.  She  came  about  a  quarter  of  a 
mile  to  where  she  could  command  an  uninter- 
rupted view  of  the  lake,  above  which  the  moon 
was  just  then  rising,  a  huge  red  orb  which  shot 
a  burning  column  to  her  feet.  '  I  will  now  bid 
you  adieu,'  she  said ;  and  we  left  her  to  the 
calm  contemplation  of  grandeur  which  could 
not  fade,  and  enjoyments  which  could  not  be- 
tray. This  was  the  last  time  I  saw,  and  per- 
haps shall  ever  see  Hortense;  but  I  shall  al* 


1820.J  PEACEFUL  DAYS,  YET  SAD.    257 

The  city  home  of  Hortense  and  her  son. 

ways  remember  my  brief  acquaintance  with 
her  as  a  dip  into  days  which  gave  her  country 
the  character  of  being  the  most  polished  of  na- 
tions." 

Hortense,  with  her  son  Louis  Napoleon,  had 
been  in  the  habit  of  passing  the  severity  of  the 
winter  months  in  the  cities  of  Augsburg  or 
Munich,  spending  about  eight  months  of  the 
year  at  Arenemberg.  But  after  the  death  of 
her  brother  Eugene,  the  associations  which 
those  cities  recalled  were  so  painful  that  she 
transferred  her  winter  residence  to  Rome  or 
Florence.  An  English  lady  who  visited  her 
at  Arenemberg  writes : 

"The  style  of  living  of  the  Duchess  of  St, 
Leu  is  sumptuous,  without  that  freezing  eti- 
quette so  commonly  met  with  in  the  great. 
Her  household  still  call  her  Queen,  and  her  son 
Prince  Napoleon  or  Prince  Louis.  The  suite  is 
composed  of  two  ladies  of  honor,  an  equerryr 
and  the  tutor  of  her  younger  son.  She  has  a 
numerous  train  of  domestics,  and  it  is  among 
them  that  the  traces  are  still  observable  of  by- 
gone pretensions,  long  since  abandoned  by  the 
true  nobleness  of  their  mistress.  The  former 
queen,  the  daughter  of  Napoleon,  the  mother 
of  the  Imperial  heir -apparent,  has  returned 
3—17 


258  HORTENSE.  [1820. 

Testimony  of  an  English  lady. 

quietly  to  private  life  with  the  perfect  grace  of 
a  voluntary  sacrifice. 

"  The  duchess  receives  strangers  with  inex- 
pressible kindness.  Ever  amiable  and  oblig- 
ing, she  is  endowed  with  that  charming  sim- 
plicity which  inspires,  at  first  sight,  the  confi- 
dence of  intimate  affection.  She  speaks  freely 
of  the  brilliant  days  of  her  prosperity.  And 
history  then  flows  so  naturally  from  her  lips, 
that  more  may  be  learned  as  a  delighted  lis- 
tener, than  from  all  the  false  or  exaggerated 
works  so  abundant  everywhere.  The  deposed 
queen  considers  past  events  from  such  an  emi- 
nence that  nothing  can  interpose  itself  between 
her  and  the  truth,  This  strict  impartiality 
gives  birth  to  that  true  greatness,  which  is  a 
thousand  times  preferable  to  all  the  splendors 
she  lost  in  the  flower  of  her  age. 

"I  have  been  admitted  to  the  intimacy  of 
the  Duchess  of  St.  Leu,  both  at  Rome  and  in 
the  country.  I  have  seen  her  roused  to  en- 
thusiasm by  the  beauties  of  nature,  and  have 
seen  her  surrounded  by  the  pomp  of  ceremony ; 
but  I  have  never  known  her  less  than  herself; 
nor  has  the  interest  first  inspired  by  her  char- 
acter ever  been  diminished  by  an  undignified 
sentiment  or  the  slightest  selfish  reflection. 


1820.]  PEACEFUL  DAYS,  YET  SAD.     259 


The  Duchess  of  St.  Leu. 


"  It  is  impossible  to  be  a  more  ardent  and 
tasteful  admirer  of  the  fine  arts  than  is  the 
duchess.  Every  one  has  heard  her  beautiful 
romances,  which  are  rendered  still  more  touch- 
ing by  the  soft  and  melodious  voice  of  the 
composer.  She  usually  sings  standing ;  and, 
although  a  finished  performer  on  the  harp  and 
piano,  she  prefers  the  accompaniment  of  one  of 
her  attendant  ladies.  Many  of  her  leisure 
hours  are  employed  in  painting.  Miniatures, 
landscapes,  and  flowers  are  equally  the  subjects 
of  her  pencil.  She  declaims  well,  is  a  delightful 
player  in  comedy,  acts  proverbs  with  uncom- 
mon excellence,  and  I  really  know  no  one  who 
can  surpass  her  in  every  kind  of  needle-work. 

"  The  Duchess  of  St.  Leu  never  was  a  regular 
beauty,  but  she  is  still  a  charming  woman. 
She  has  the  softest  and  most  expressive  blue 
eyes  in  the  world.  Her  light  flaxen  hair  con- 
trasts beautifully  with  the  dark  color  of  her 
long  eyelashes  and  eyebrows.  Her  complexion 
is  fresh  and  of  an  even  tint ;  her  figure  elegant- 
ly moulded;  her  hands  and  feet  perfect.  In 
fine,  her  whole  appearance  is  captivating  in  the 
extreme.  She  speaks  quickly  with  rapid  ges- 
tures, and  all  her  movements  are  easy  and 
graceful.  Her  style  of  dress  is  rich,  though  she 


•260  HORTENSE.  [1820. 

Pursuits  of  Prince  Louis. 

has  parted  with  most  of  her  jewels  and  precious 
stones." 

Hortense  was  almost  invariably  accompanied 
by  her  son,  Louis  Napoleon,  whether  residing 
in  Italy  or  in  Switzerland.  When  at  Arenem- 
berg,  the  young  prince  availed  himself  of  the 
vicinity  to  the  city  in  pursuing  a  rigorous 
.course  of  study  in  physics  and  chemistry  un- 
der the  guidance  of  a  very  distinguished  French 
philosopher.  He  also  connected  himself,  in 
prosecuting  his  military  studies,  with  a  Baden 
regiment  garrisoned  at  Constance.  He  was 
here  recognized  as  the  Duke  of  St.  Leu,  and 
was  always  received  with  much  distinction.  At 
Eome,  the  residence  of  Hortense  was  the  centre 
of  the  most  brilliant  and  polished  society  of  the 
city.  Here  her  son  was  introduced  to  the  most 
distinguished  men  from  all  lands,  and  especial- 
ly to  the  old  friends  of  the  Empire,  who  kept 
alive  in  his  mind  the  memory  of  the  brilliant 
exploits  of  him  whose  name  he  bore.  Pauline 
Bonaparte,  who  had  married  for  her  second 
husband  Prince  Borghese,  and  who  was  im- 
mensely wealthy,  also  resided  in  the  vicinity 
of  Eome,  in  probably  the  most  magnificent  vil- 
la in  Europe.  Hortense  and  her  son  were  con- 
stant visitors  at  her  residence. 


1824.]  PEACEFUL  DAYS,  YET  SAD.    261 


Madame  RScamier  meets  Hortense. 


Madame  Recamier,  who  had  ever  been  the 
warm  friend  of  the  Bourbons,  and  whom  Hor- 
tense had  befriended  when  the  Bourbons  were 
in  exile,  gives  the  following  account  of  an  in- 
terview she  had  with  Queen  Hortense  in  Rome, 
early  in  the  year  1824.  The  two  friends  had 
not  met  since  the  "  Hundred  Days"  in  1815. 
We  give  the  narrative  in  the  words  of  Madame 
Recamier  : 

"  I  went  one  day  to  St.  Peter's  to  listen  to  the 
music,  so  beautiful  under  the  vaults  of  that  im- 
mense edifice.  There,  leaning  against  a  pillar, 
meditating  under  my  veil,  I  followed  with  heart 
.and  soul  the  solemn  notes  that  died  away  in  the 
•depths  of  the  dome.  An  elegant-looking  wom- 
an, veiled  like  myself,  came  and  placed  herself 
near  the  same  pillar.  Every  time  that  a  more 
lively  feeling  drew  from  me  an  involuntary 
movement  my  eyes  met  those  of  the  stranger. 
She  seemed  to  be  trying  to  recognize  my  fea- 
tures. And  I,  on  my  side,  through  the  obstacle 
of  our  veils,  thought  I  distinguished  blue  eyes 
and  light  hair  that  were  not  unknown  to  me. 
'  Madame  Recamier !'  'Isityou,madame?'  we 
said  almost  at  the  same  moment.  '  How  de- 
lighted I  am  to  see  you !'  said  Queen  Hortense, 
for  she  it  was.  '  You  know,'  she  added,  smil- 


262  HORTENSE. 


Madame  R6camier  meets  Hortense. 


ing,  '  that  I  would  not  have  waited  until  now  to 
find  you  out  ;  but  you  have  always  been  cere- 
monious with  me.' 

"  '  Then,  madame,'  I  replied,  '  my  friends  were 
exiled  and  unfortunate.  You  were  happy  and 
brilliant,  and  my  place  was  not  near  you.' 

"  '  If  misfortune  has  the  privilege  of  attract- 
ing you,'  replied  the  queen,  '  you  must  confess 
that  my  time  has  come  and  permit  me  to  ad- 
vance my  claims.' 

"  I  was  a  little  embarrassed  for  a  reply.  My 
connection  with  the  Duke  de  Laval,  our  ambas- 
sador at  Rome,  and  with  the  French  Govern- 
ment in  general,  was  a  barrier  to  any  visiting 
between  us.  She  understood  my  silence. 

"  '  I  know,'  she  said,  sadly,  '  that  the  incon- 
veniences of  greatness  follow  us  still,  when  even 
our  prerogatives  are  gone.  Thus,  with  loss  of 
rank,  I  have  not  acquired  liberty  of  action.  I 
can  not  to-day  even  taste  the  pleasures  of  a 
woman's  friendship,  and  peaceably  enjoy  soci- 
ety that  is  pleasant  and  dear  to  me.' 

"  I  bowed  my  head  with  emotion,  expressing 
my  sympathy  only  by  my  looks. 

"  '  But  I  must  talk  to  you,'  said  the  queen, 
more  warmly.  '  I  have  so  many  things  to  say 
to  you.  If  we  can  not  visit  each  other,  nothing 


1824.]  PEACEFUL  DAYS,  YET  SAD.    263 


Interview  with  Madame  Recamier. 


prevents  us  from  meeting  elsewhere.  We  will 
appoint  some  place  to  meet.  That  will  be 
charming.' 

'"Charming indeed,  madame,'  I  replied,  smil- 
ing ;  '  and  especially  for  me.  But  how  shall 
we  fix  the  time  and  place  for  these  interviews?' 

"  '  It  is  you,'  Hortense  replied, '  who  must  ar- 
range that ;  for,  thanks  to  the  solitude  forced 
upon  me,  my  time  is  entirely  at  my  own  dis- 
posal. But  it  may  not  be  the  same  with  you. 
Sought  for  as  you  are,  you  mix,  no  doubt,  a 
great  deal  in  society.' 

"  '  Heaven  forbid !'  I  replied.  '  On  the  con- 
trary, I  lead  a  very  retired  life.  It  would  be 
absurd  to  come  to  Rome  to  see  society,  and  peo- 
ple everywhere  the  same.  I  prefer  to  visit 
what  is  peculiarly  her  own — her  monuments 
and  ruins.' 

" '  Well,  then,  we  can  arrange  every  thing 
finely,'  added  Hortense  ;  '  if  it  is  agreeable  to 
you  I  will  join  you  in  these  excursions.  Let 
me  know  each  day  your  plans  for  the  next; 
and  we  will  meet,  as  if  by  accident,  at  the  ap- 
pointed places.' 

"  I  eagerly  accepted  this  offer,  anticipating 
much  pleasure  in  making  the  tour  of  old  Rome 
with  so  gracious  and  agreeable  a  companion, 


264  HORTENSE.  [1824. 

Arrangements  for  meeting. 

and  one  who  loved  and  understood  art.  The 
queen,  on  her  side,  was  happy  in  the  thought 
that  I  would  talk  to  her  of  France;  whilst  to 
both  of  us  the  little  air  of  mystery  thrown  over 
these  interviews  gave  them  another  charm. 

"  '  Where  do  you  propose  to  go  to-morrow  1* 
asked  the  queen. 

"  '  To  the  Coliseum.' 

'"You  will  assuredly  find  me  there,'  Hor- 
tense  replied.  '  I  have  much  to  say  to  you.  I 
wish  to  justify  myself  in  your  eyes  from  an 
imputation  that  distresses  me.' 

"  The  queen  began  to  enter  into  explana- 
tions; and  the  interview  threatening  to  be  a 
long  one,  I  frankly  reminded  her  that  the 
French  ambassador,  who  had  brought  me  to 
St.  Peter's,  was  coming  back  for  me ;  for  I 
feared  that  a  meeting  would  be  embarrassing 
to  both. 

"'You  are  right,'  said  the  queen.  'We 
must  not  be  surprised  together.  Adieu,  then. 
To-morrow  at  the  Coliseum ;'  and  we  separa- 
ted." 

Madame  Kecamier,  the  bosom-friend  of  Cha- 
teaubriand, was  in  entire  political  sympathy 
with  the  illustrious  poet.  She  regarded  legiti- 
macy as  a  part  of  her  religion,  and  was  intensely 


1824.]  PEACEFUL  DAYS,  YET  SAD.    266 

Difficulty  between  Napoleon  and  Madame  Rocamier. 

devoted  to  the  interests  of  the  Bourbons.  She 
was  one  of  the  most  beautiful  and  fascinating 
women  who  ever  lived.  Napoleon  at  St.  Hele- 
na, in  allusion  to  this  remarkable  lady,  said : 

"  I  was  scarcely  First  Consul  ere  I  found 
myself  at  issue  with  Madame  Re'camier.  Her 
father  had  been  placed  in  the  Post-office  De- 
partment. I  had  found  it  necessary  to  sign,  in 
confidence,  a  great  number  of  appointments ; 
but  I  soon  established  a  very  rigid  inspection 
in  every  department  A  correspondence  was 
•discovered  with  the  Chouans,  going  on  under 
the  connivance  of  M.  Bernard,  the  father  of 
Madame  Be'camier.  He  was  immediately  dis- 
missed, and  narrowly  escaped  trial  and  con- 
demnation to  death.  His  daughter  hastened 
to  me,  and  upon  her  solicitation  I  exempted 
M.  Bernard  from  taking  his  trial,  but  was  reso- 
lute respecting  his  dismissal.  Madame  Eeca- 
mier,  accustomed  to  obtain  every  thing,  would 
be  satisfied  with  nothing  less  than  the  reinstate- 
ment of  her  father.  Such  were  the  morals  of 
the  times.  My  severity  excited  loud  animad- 
versions. It  was  a  thing  quite  unusual.  Ma- 
dame Re'camier  and  her  party  never  forgave 
me."* 

*  Abbott's  "  Napoleon  at  St.  Helena,"  p.  94. 


HORTENSE.  [1824. 


Banishment  of  Madame  de  Stael. 


The  home  of  Madame  De  Stael,  who  was  the 
very  intimate  friend  of  Madame  Recamier,  be- 
came, in  the  early  stages  of  the  Empire,  the  ren- 
dezvous of  all  those  who  were  intriguing  for 
the  overthrow  of  the  government  of  Napoleon. 
The  Emperor,  speaking  upon  this  subject  at 
St.  Helena,  said : 

"The  house  of  Madame  De  Stael  had  become 
quite  an  arsenal  against  me.  People  went  there 
to  be  armed  knights.  She  endeavored  to  raise 
enemies  against  me,  and  fought  against  me  her- 
self. She  was  at  once  Armida  and  Clorinda. 
It  can  not  be  denied  that  Madame  de  Stael  is 
a  very  distinguished  woman.  She  will  go 
down  to  posterity.  At  the  time  of  the  Con- 
cordat, against  which  Madame  de  Stael  was 
violently  inflamed,  she  united  at  once  against 
me  the  aristocrats  and  the  republicans.  Hav- 
ing at  length  tired  out  my  patience,  she  was 
sent  into  exile.  I  informed  her  that  I  left  her 
the  universe  for  the  theatre  of  her  achieve- 
ments; that  I  reserved  only  Paris  for  myself, 
which  I  forbade  her  to  approach,  and  resigned 
the  rest  of  the  world  to  her." 

The  banishment  of  Madame  de  Stael  from 
Paris  excited  as  much  bitterness  in  the  soul  of 
Madame  Recamier  as  it  was  possible  for  a  lady 


1815.]  PEACEFUL  DAYS,  YET  SAD.    267 

Cause  of  Madame  Recamier's  banishment. 

of  such  rare  amiability  arid  loveliness  of  char- 
acter to  feel.  Madame  Re"camier,  in  giving  an 
account  of  this  transaction,  says : 

"  I  had  a  passionate  admiration  for  Madame 
de  Stae'l ;  and  this  harsh  and  arbitrary  act 
showed  me  despotism  under  its  most  odious  as- 
pect. The  man  who  banished  a  woman,  arid 
such  a  woman, — who  caused  her  such  unhappi- 
ness,  could  only  be  regarded  by  me  as  an  un- 
merciful tyrant;  and  from  that  hour  I  was 
against  him." 

The  result  was  that  Madame  Re"camier  was 
forbidden  to  reside  within  one  hundred  and 
twenty  miles  of  Paris.  The  reason  which  Na- 
poleon assigned  for  these  measures  was,  that 
Madame  de  Stael,  with  the  most  extraordinary 
endowments  of  mind,  and  Madame  Recamier, 
with  charms  of  personal  loveliness  which  had 
made  her  renowned  through  all  Europe,  were 
combining  their  attractions  in  forming  a  con- 
spiracy which  would  surely  deluge  the  streets 
of  Paris  in  blood.  Napoleon  affirmed  that 
though  the  Government  was  so  strong  that  it 
could  certainly  crush  an  insurrection  in  the 
streets,  he  thought  it  better  to  prohibit  these 
two  ladies  any  further  residence  in  Paris,  rather 
than  leave  them  to  foment  rebellion,  which 


268  HORTENSE.  [1815, 

She  returns  to  Paris. 

would  cost  the  lives  of  many  thousands  of  com- 
paratively innocent  persons. 

When  the  Bourbons,  at  the  first  restoration, 
returned  to  Paris,  in  the  rear  of  the  batteries  of 
the  Allies,  Madame  Recamier  again  took  up  her 
residence  in  Paris.  Her  saloons  were  thronged 
with  the  partisans  of  the  old  regime,  and  she 
was  universally  recognized  as  the  queen  of 
fashion  and  beauty.  She  was  in  the  enjoyment 
of  a  very  large  income,  kept  her  carriage,  had  a 
box  at  the  opera,  and  on  opera  nights  had  re- 
ceptions after  the  performances.  The  wheel 
of  fortune  had  turned,  and  she  was  now  in  the 
ascendant.  Lord  Wellington  was  among  her 
admirers.  But  the  brusque,  unpolished  duke 
disgusted  the  refined  French  lady  by  his  boast 
to  her,  "  I  have  given  Napoleon  a  good  beating." 

Still  the  wheel  continued  its  revolution. 
Napoleon  returned  from  Elba.  The  Bourbons 
and  their  partisans  fled  precipitately  from. 
France.  But,  in  the  interim,  Madame  Recamier 
and  Madame  de  Stae'l  had  dined  with  the 
Duchess  of  St.  Leu,  at  her  estate  a  few  leagues 
from  Paris.  The  return  of  Napoleon  plunged 
Madame  Recamier  and  her  friend  into  the  ut- 
most consternation.  She  was  very  unwilling 
again  to  leave  Paris.  In  this  emergency,  Hor 


1815.J  PEACEFUL  DAYS,  YET  SAD.    26# 


Hortense  exiled. 


tense,  who  was  then  at  the  Tuileries,  wrote  to 
her  under  date  of  March  28,  1815: 

"I  hope  that  you  are  tranquil.  You  may 
trust  to  me  to  take  care  of  your  interests.  1 
am  convinced  that  I  shall  not  have  occasion  ta 
show  you  how  delighted  I  should  be  to  be  use- 
ful to  you.  Such  would  be  my  desire.  But 
under  any  circumstances  count  upon  me,  and 
believe  that  I  shall  be  very  happy  to  prove  my 
friendship  for  you.  HORTENSE." 


The  "Hundred  Days"  passed  away. 
Bourbons  were  re-enthroned.  Madame  Ke*ca- 
mier  was  again  a  power  in  Paris.  Hortense,. 
deprived  of  the  duchy  of  St.  Leu,  was  driven- 
an  exile  out  of  France.  Fifteen  years  .  had 
rolled  away,  and  these  two  distinguished  ladies- 
had  not  met  until  the  accidental  interview  ta 
which  we  have  alluded  beneath  the  dome  of 
St.  Peter's  Cathedral.  They  were  friends, 
though  one  was  the  representative  of  aristocra- 
cy and  the  other  of  the  rights  of  the  people. 

According  to  the  arrangement  which  they 
had  made,  Hortense  and  Madame  Ke*camier  met 
the  next  day  at  the  Coliseum.  Though  it  13 
not  to  be  supposed  that  Madame  Ke'camier 
would  make  any  false  representations,  it  is  evi- 


270  HORTENSE.  [1824. 

Interview  at  the  Coliaeum. 

dent  that,  under  the  circumstances,  she  would 
not  soften  any  of  the  expressions  of  Hortense, 
or  represent  the  conversation  which  ensued 
in  any  light  too  favorable  to  Napoleon.  We 
give  the  narrative,  however,  of  this  very  inter- 
esting interview  in  the  words  of  Madame  Re- 
carnier : 

"  The  next  day,  at  the  Ave  Maria,  I  was  at 
the  Coliseum,  where  I  saw  the  queen's  carriage, 
which  had  arrived  a  few  minutes  before  me. 
We  entered  the  amphitheatre  together,  com- 
plimenting each  other  on  our  punctuality,  and 
strolled  through  this  immense  ruin  as  the  sun 
was  setting,  and  to  the  sound  of  distant  bells. 

"  Finally  we  seated  ourselves  on  the  steps 
of  the  cross  in  the  centre  of  the  amphitheatre, 
while  Charles  Napoleon  Bonaparte  and  M. 
Ampere,  who  had  followed  us,  walked  about  at 
A  little  distance.  The  night  came  on — an  Ital- 
ian night.  The  moon  rose  slowly  in  the  heav- 
ens, behind  the  open  arcades  of  the  Coliseum. 
The  breeze  of  evening  sighed  through  the  de- 
serted galleries.  Near  me  sat  this  woman,  her- 
self the  living  ruin  of  so  extraordinary  a  for- 
tune. A  confused  and  undefinable  emotion 
forced  me  to  silence.  The  queen  also  seemed 
absorbed  in  her  reflections. 


INTERVIEW    IN    THF,   <:O1,TSEUM. 


1824.]  PEACEFUL  DAYS,  YET  SAD.    273 


Interview  at  the  Coliseum. 


"'How  many  events  have  contributed  to 
bring  us  together,'  she  said  finally,  turning  to- 
wards me,  '  events  of  which  I  often  have  been 
the  puppet  or  the  victim,  without  having  fore- 
seen or  provoked  them.' 

"  I  could  not  help  thinking  that  this  preten- 
sion to  the  role  of  a  victim  was  a  little  hazard- 
ous. At  that  time  I  was  under  the  conviction 
that  she  had  not  been  a  stranger  to  the  return 
from  the  island  of  Elba.  Doubtless  the  queen 
divined  my  thoughts,  since  it  is  hardly  possible 
for  me  to  hide  my  sentiments.  My  bearing 
and  face  betray  me  in  spite  of  myself. 

"  'I  see  plainly,' she  said  earnestly,  'that  you 
share  an  opinion  that  has  injured  me  deeply; 
and  it  was  to  controvert  it  that  I  wanted  to 
speak  to  you  freely.  Henceforth  you  will  jus- 
tify me,  I  hope ;  for  I  can  clear  myself  of  the 
charge  of  ingratitude  and  treason,  which  would 
abase  me  in  my  own  eyes  if  I  had  been  guilty 
of  them.' 

"She  was  silent  a  moment  and  then  resumed. 
'In  1814,  after  the  abdication  of  Fontainebleau, 
I  considered  that  the  Emperor  had  renounced 
alJ  his  rights  to  the  throne,  and  that  his  family 
ought  to  follow  his  example.  It  was  my  wish 
to  remain  in  France,  under  a  title  that  would 
3—18 


274  HORTENSE.  [1824. 

Interview  at  the  Coliseum. 

not  give  umbrage  to  the  new  Government.  At 
the  request  of  the  Emperor  of  Russia,  Louis 
XVIII.  gave  me  authority  to  assume  the  title 
of  Duchess  of  St.  Leu,  and  confirmed  me  in  the 
possession  of  my  private  property.  In  an  au- 
dience that  I  obtained  to  thank  him,  he  treated 
me  with  so  much  courtesy  and  kindness  that  I 
was  sincerely  grateful ;  and  after  having  freely 
accepted  his  favors  I  could  not  think  of  con- 
spiring against  him. 

"  '  I  heard  of  the  landing  of  the  Emperor 
only  through  public  channels,  and  it  gave  me 
much  more  annoyance  than  pleasure.  I  knew 
the  Emperor  too  well  to  imagine  that  he  would 
have  attempted  such  an  enterprise  without 
having  certain  reasons  to  hope  for  success. 
But  the  prospect  of  a  civil  war  afflicted  me 
deeply,  and  I  was  convinced  that  we  could  not 
escape  it.  The  speedy  arrival  of  the  Emperor 
baffled  all  my  previsions. 

"  'On  hearing  of  the  departure  of  the  king, 
and  picturing  him  to  myself  old,  infirm,  and 
forced  to  abandon  his  country  again,  I  was 
sensibly  touched.  The  idea  that  he  might  be 
accusing  me  of  ingratitude  and  treason  was  in- 
supportable to  me;  and,  notwithstanding  all 
the  risk  of  such  a  step,  I  wrote  to  him  to  ex- 


1824]  PEACEFUL  DAYS,  YET  SAD.    275 


Interview  at  the  Coliseum. 


culpate  myself  from  any  participation  in  the 
events  which  had  just  taken  place. 

"  '  On  the  evening  of  the  20th  of  March, 
being  advised  of  the  Emperor's  approach  by 
his  old  minister,  I  presented  myself  at  the  Tu- 
ileries  to  await  his  coming.  I  saw  him  arrive, 
surrounded,  pressed,  and  borne  onward  by  a 
crowd  of  officers  of  all  ranks.  In  all  this  tu- 
mult I  could  scarcely  accost  him.  He  received 
me  coldly,  said  a  few  words  to  me,  and  ap- 
pointed an  interview  for  next  day.  The  Em- 
peror has  always  inspired  me  with  fear,  and 
his  tone  on  this  occasion  was  not  calculated 
to  reassure  me.  I  presented  myself,  however, 
with  as  calm  a  bearing  as  was  possible.  I  was 
introduced  into  his  private  room ;  and  we  were 
scarcely  alone  when  he  advanced  toward  me 
quickly,  and  said  brusquely, 

" '  "  Have  you  then  so  poorly  comprehended 
your  situation  that  you  could  renounce  your 
name,  and  the  rank  you  held  from  me,  to  ac- 
cept a  title  given  by  the  Bourbons?" 

"  '  "  My  duty  sire,"  I  replied,  summoning 
up  all  my  courage  to  answer  him,  "  was  to 
think  of  my  children's  future,  since  the  abdi- 
cation of  your  Majesty  left  me  no  longer  any 
other  to  fulfill.'' 


276  HORTENSE.  •  [1824. 


Interview  at  the  Coliseum. 


"  '  "  Your  children,"  exclaimed  the  Emper- 
or, "  your  children  1  Were  they  not  my  neph- 
ews before  they  were  your  sons  ?  Have  you 
forgotten  that?  Had  you  the  right  to  strip 
them  of  the  rank  that  belonged  to  them?" 
And  as  I  looked  at  him,  all  amazed,  he  added, 
with  increasing  rage,  "  Have  you  not  read  the 
Code,  then  ?" 

"  '  I  avowed  my  ignorance,  recalling  to  my- 
self that  he  had  formerly  considered  it  repre- 
hensible, in  any  woman,  and  especially  in  mem- 
bers of  his  own  family,  to  dare  to  avow  that 
they  knew  any  thing  about  legislation.  Then 
he  explained  to  me  with  volubility  the  article 
in  the  law  prohibiting  any  change  in  the  state 
of  minors,  or  the  making  of  any  renunciation 
in  their  name.  As  he  talked  he  strode  up  and 
down  the  room,  the  windows  of  which  were 
open  to  admit  the  beautiful  spring  sun.  I  fol- 
lowed him,  trying  to  make  him  understand 
that,  not  knowing  the  laws,  I  had  only  thought 
of  the  interests  of  my  children,  and  taken  coun- 
sel of  my  heart.  The  Emperor  stopped  all  of 
a  sudden,  and  turning  roughly  towards  me, 
Baid, 

u  t «  Then  it  should  have  told  you,  Madame, 
that  when  you  shared  the  prosperity  of  a  fam- 


1824.]  PEACEFUL  DAYS,  YET  SAD.    277 


Interview  at  the  Coliseum. 


ily,  you  ought  to  know  how  to  submit  to  its 
misfortunes." 

" '  At  these  last  words  I  burst  into  tears. 
But  at  this  moment  our  conversation  was  in- 
terrupted by  a  tremendous  uproar  which  night- 
ened  me.  The  Emperor,  while  talking,  had 
unconsciously  approached  the  window  looking 
upon  the  terrace  of  the  Tuileries,  which  was 
filled  with  people,  who,  upon  recognizing  him, 
rent  the  air  with  frantic  acclamations.  The 
Emperor,  accustomed  to  control  himself,  sa- 
luted the  people  electrified  by  his  presence, 
and  I  hastened  to  dry  my  eyes.  But  they 
had  seen  my  tears,  without  the  slightest  sus- 
picion of  their  cause.  For  the  next  day  the 
papers  vied  with  each  other  in  repeating  that 
the  Emperor  had  shown  himself  at  the  win- 
dows of  the  Tuileries,  accompanied  by  Queen 
Hortense,  and  that  the  Queen  was  so  moved 
by  the  enthusiasm  manifested  at  the  sight  of 
her  that  she  could  scarcely  restrain  her  tears.7 

"  This  account,"  adds  Madame  Rdcamier, 
"  had  an  air  of  sincerity  about  it,  which  shook 
my  previous  convictions,  and  the  regard  I  felt 
for  the  Queen  was  heightened.  From  that 
time  we  became  firm  friends.  We  met  each 
other  every  day,  sometimes  at  the  Temple  of 


278  HORTENSE.  [1824. 


Subsequent  meetings. 


Vesta,  sometimes  at  the  Baths  of  Titus,  or  at 
the  Tomb  of  Cecilia  Metella;  at  others,  in  some 
one  of  the  numerous  churches  of  the  Christian 
city,  in  the  rich  galleries  of  its  palaces,  or  at 
one  of  the  beautiful  villas  in  its  environs ;  and 
such  was  our  punctuality,  that  our  two  car- 
riages almost  always  arrived  together  at  the 
appointed  place. 

"  I  found  the  queen  a  very  fascinating  com- 
panion. And  she  showed  such  a  delicate  tact 
in  respecting  the  opinions  she  knew  I  held, 
that  I  could  not  prevent  myself  saying  that  I 
could  only  accuse  her  of  the  one  fault  of  not 
being  enough  of  a  Bonapartist.  Notwithstand- 
ing the  species  of  intimacy  established  between 
us,  I  had  always  abstained  from  visiting  her, 
when  news  arrived  of  the  death  of  Eugene 
Beauharnais.  The  Queen  loved  her  brother 
tenderly.  I  understood  the  grief  she  must  feel 
in  losing  her  nearest  relation  and  the  best 
friend  she  had  in  the  world,  and  came  quickly 
to  a  decision.  I  immediately  went  to  her,  and 
found  her  in  the  deepest  affliction.  The  whole 
Bonaparte  family  was  there,  but  that  gave  me 
little  uneasiness.  In  such  cases  it  is  impossi« 
ble  for  me  to  consider  party  interests  or  pub- 
lie  opinion.  I  have  been  often  blamed  for  this, 


1824]  PEACEFUL  DAYS,  YET  SAD.    279 


Letter  from  Hortense. 


and  probably  shall  be  again,  and  I  must  resign 
myself  to  this  censure,  since  I  shall  never  cease 
to  deserve  it." 

Hortense,  immediately  upon  receiving  the 
tidings  of  the  dangerous  sickness  of  her  broth- 
er,  had  written  thus  to  Madame  Recamier. 
The  letter  was  dated, 

"Kome,  Friday,  morning,  April,  1824. 

"MY  DEAR  MADAME, — It  seems  to  be  my 
fate  not  to  be  able  to  enjoy  any  pleasures, 
diversions,  or  interest  without  the  alloy  of 
pain.  I  have  news  of  my  brother.  He  has 
been  ill.  They  kindly  assure  me  that  he  was 
better  when  the  letter  was  sent,  but  I  can  not 
help  being  extremely  anxious.  I  have  a  pre- 
sentiment that  this  is  his  last  illness,  and  I  am 
far  from  him.  I  trust  that  God  will  not  de- 
prive me  of  the  only  friend  left  me — the  best 
and  most  honorable  man  on  earth.  I  am  go- 
ing to  St.  Peter's  to  pray.  That  will  comfort 
me  perhaps,  for  my  very  anxiety  frightens 
me.  One  becomes  weak  and  superstitious  in 
grief.  I  can  not  therefore  go  with  you  to-day, 
but  I  shall  be  happy  to  see  you,  if  you  would 
like  to  join  me  at  St.  Peter's.  I  know  that 
you  are  not  afraid  of  the  unhappy,  and  that 


280  HORTENSE.  [1824. 


Letter  from  Hortense. 


you  bring  them  happiness.  To  wish  for  you 
now  is  enough  to  prove  to  you  my  regard  /or 
you.  HORTENSE." 

Soon  after  the  death  of  Prince  Eugene,  Hor- 
tense returned  to  Arenemberg.  From  that 
place  she  wrote  to  Madame  Re'camier,  under 
date  of  June  10th,  1824 : 

"  You  were  kind  enough,  Madame,  to  wish 
to  hear  from  me.  I  can  not  say  that  I  am 
well,  when  I  have  lost  every  thing  on  this 
earth.  Meanwhile  I  am  not  in  ill  health.  I 
have  just  had  another  heart-break.  I  have 
seen  all  my  brother's  things.  I  do  not  recoil 
from  this  pain,  and  perhaps  I  may  find  in  it 
some  consolation.  This  life,  so  full  of  troubles, 
can  disturb  no  longer  the  friends  for  whom  we 
mourn.  He,  no  doubt,  is  happy.  With  your 
sympathies  you  can  imagine  all  my  feelings. 

"  I  am  at  present  in  my  retreat.  The  scene- 
ry is  superb.  In  spite  of  the  lovely  sky  of 
Italy,  I  still  find  Arenemberg  very  beautiful 
But  I  must  always  be  pursued  by  regrets.  It 
is  undoubtedly  my  fate.  Last  year  I  was  so 
contented.  I  was  very  proud  of  not  repining, 
not  wishing  for  any  thing  in  this  world.  I 
had  a  good  brother,  good  children.  To-day 


1824.]  PEACEFUL  DAYS,  YET  SAD.    281 


Letter  from  Hortense. 


how  much  need  have  I  to  repeat  to  myself  that 
there  are  still  some  left  to  whom  I  am  neces- 
sary! 

"  But  I  am  talking  a  great  deal  about  my- 
self, and  I  have  nothing  to  tell  you,  if  it  be  not 
that  you  have  been  a  great  comfort  to  me,  and 
that  I  shall  always  be  pleased  to  see  yon  again. 
You  are  among  those  persons  to  whom  it  is- 
not  needful  to  relate  one's  life  or  one's  feelings. 
The  heart  is  the  best  interpreter,  and  they  who 
thus  read  us  become  necessary  to  us. 

"  I  do  not  ask  you  about  your  plans,  and 
nevertheless  I  am  interested  to  know  them. 
Do  not  be  like  me,  who  live  without  a  future, 
and  who  expect  to  remain  where  fate  puts 
me;  for  I  may  stay  at  my  country -place  all 
winter,  if  1  can  have  all  the  rooms  heated. 
Sometimes  the  wind  seems  to  carry  the  house 
off,  and  the  snow,  I  am  told,  is  of  frightful 
depth.  But  it  requires  little  courage  to  sur- 
mount these  obstacles.  On  the  contrary,  these 
great  effects  of  nature  are  sometimes  not  with- 
out their  charms.  Adieu.  Do  not  entirely 
forget  me.  Believe  me,  your  friendship  has 
done  me  good.  You  know  what  a  comfort  a 
friendly  voice  from  one's  native  country  is; 
when  it  comes  to  us  in  misfortune  and  isolar 


282  HOR  TENSE.  [1824. 


Disgrace  of  Chateaubriand. 


tion.  Be  kind  enough  to  tell  me  that  I  am 
unjust  if  I  complain  too  much  of  my  destiny, 
and  that  I  have  still  some  friends  left. 

"  HOJRTENSE." 

Just  about  this  time  M.  de  Chateaubriand, 
the  illustrious  friend  of  Madame  Ke'camier,  was 
quite  insultingly  dismissed  from  the  ministry 
for  not  advocating  a  law  of  which  the  king  ap- 
proved. The  disgrace  of  the  minister  created 
a  very  deep  sensation.  In  allusion  to  it,  Hor- 
tense  wrote  to  Madame  Kecamier,  from  Aren- 
emberg,  Sept.  11, 1824,  as  follows : 

"I  expected  to  hear  from  you  on  your  re- 
turn from  Naples,  and  as  I  have  not  heard,  I 
know  not  where  to  find  you.  I  have  fancied 
that  you  were  on  the  road  to  Paris,  because  I 
always  imagine  that  we  go  where  the  heart 
goes,  and  where  we  can  be  useful  to  our  friends. 
It  is  curious  to  think  what  a  chain  the  affections 
are.  Why,  I  myself,  secluded  from  the  world, 
stranger  to  every  thing,  am  sorry  to  see  so  dis- 
tinguished a  man  shut  out  from  public  life.  Is 
it  on  account  of  the  interest  you  have  made  me 
take  in  that  quarter,  or  is  it,  rather,  because, 
like  a  Frenchwoman,  I  love  to  see  merit  and 
superiority  honored  in  my  country  ? 


1824.]  PEACEFUL  DAYS,  YET  SAD.    283 


Letter  from  Hortense. 


"  At  present  I  am  no  longer  alone.  I  have 
my  cousin  with  me,  the  Grand  Duchess  of  Ba- 
den, a  most  accomplished  person.  The  bril- 
liancy of  her  imagination,  the  vivacity  of  her 
wit,  the  correctness  of  her  judgment,  together 
with  the  perfect  balance  of  all  her  faculties, 
render  her  a  charming  and  a  remarkable  wom- 
an. She  enlivens  my  solitude  and  softens  my 
profound  grief.  We  converse  in  the  language 
of  our  country.  It  is  that  of  the  heart,  you 
know,  since  at  Home  we  understood  each  other 
so  well. 

I  claim  your  promise  to  stop  on  the  way 
at  Arenemberg.  It  will  always  be  to  me  very 
sweet  to  see  you.  I  can  not  separate  you 
from  one  of  my  greatest  sorrows ;  which  is  to 
say  that  you  are  very  dear  to  me,  and  that  I 
shall  be  happy  to  have  an  opportunity  to  as- 
sure you  of  my  affection.  HORTENSE." 

Madame  Re'camier,  after  leaving  Rome,  kept 
up  her  friendly  relations  and  correspondence 
with  Queen  Hortense. 

The  winter  of  1829  Hortense  spent  with  her 
Bons  in  Rome.  Chateaubriand  was  then  French 
ambassador  in  that  city.  Upon  his  leaving, 
to  return  to  Paris,  Hortense  wrote  to  Madame 


284  HORTENSE.  [1829. 

Letter  from  Hortense. 

Recamier  the  following  letter,  in  which  she  al- 
ludes to  his  departure : 

"Home,  May  10,  1829. 

"  DEAR  MADAME, — I  am  not  willing  that  one 
of  your  friends  should  leave  the  place  where  I 
am  living,  and  where  I  have  had  the  pleasure 
of  meeting  you,  without  carrying  to  you  a  to- 
ken of  my  remembrance.  I  also  wish  you  to 
convey  to  him  my  sentiments.  Kindnesses 
show  themselves  in  the  smallest  things,  and 
are  also  felt  by  those  who  are  the  object  of 
them,  without  their  being  equal  to  the  expres- 
sion of  their  feelings.  But  the  benevolence 
which  has  been  able  to  reach  me  has  made  me 
regret  not  being  permitted  to  know  him  whom 
I  have  learned  to  appreciate,  and  who,  in  a  for- 
eign land,  so  worthily  represented  to  me  my 
country,  at  least  such  as  I  always  should  like 
to  look  upon  her,  as  a  friend  and  protectress. 

"I  am  soon  to  return  to  my  mountainsr 
where  I  hope  to  hear  from  you.  Do  not  for- 
get me  entirely.  Remember  that  I  love  you, 
and  that  your  friendship  contributed  to  soothe 
one  of  the  keenest  sorrows  of  my  life.  These 
are  two  inseparable  memories.  Thus  never 
doubt  my  tender  love,  in  again  assuring  you 
of  which  I  take  such  pleasure. 

"HORTENSK" 


1830.]  PEACEFUL  DAYS,  YET  SAD.    285 


Revolution  in  France. 


The  year  1830  came.  Louis  Napoleon  was 
then  twenty -two  years  of  age.  An  insurrec- 
tion in  Paris  overthrew  the  old  Bourbon  dy- 
nasty, and  established  its  modification  in  the 
throne  of  Louis  Philippe.  This  revolution  in 
France  threw  all  Europe  into  commotion.  All 
over  Italy  the  people  rose  to  cast  off  the  yoke 
which  the  Allies,  who  had  triumphed  at  Water- 
loo, had  imposed  upon  them.  The  exiled  mem- 
bers of  the  Bonaparte  family  met  at  Rome  to 
decide  what  to  do  in  the  emergency.  Hortense 
attended  the  meeting  with  her  two  sons.  The 
eldest,  Napoleon  Louis,  had  married  his  cousin, 
the  daughter  of  Joseph  Bonaparte.  Both  of 
the  young  princes,  with  great  enthusiasm,  join- 
ed the  patriots.  Hortense  was  very  much 
alarmed  for  the  safety  of  her  sons.  She  could 
see  but  little  hope  that  the  insurrection  could 
be  successful  in  Italy,  for  the  "  Holy  Alliance  " 
was  pledged  to  crush  it.  She  wrote  imploring- 
ly to  her  children.  Louis  Napoleon  replied, 

"  Your  affectionate  heart  will  understand 
our  determination.  We  have  contracted  en« 
gagements  which  we  can  not  break.  Can  we 
remain  deaf  to  the  voice  of  the  unfortunate 
who  call  to  us?  We  bear  a  name  which 
obliges  us  to  listen." 


286  HORTENSE.  [1830. 

Attempt  of  the  Italian  patriots. 

We  have  not  here  space  to  describe  the  con- 
flict. The  Italian  patriots,  overwhelmed  by  the 
armies  of  Austria,  were  crushed  or  dispersed. 
The  elder  of  the  sons  of  Hortense,  Napoleon 
Louis,  died  from  the  fatigue  and  exposure  of 
the  campaign,  and  was  buried  at  Florence. 
The  younger  son,  Louis  Napoleon,  enfeebled 
by  sickness,  was  in  the  retreat  with  the  van- 
quished patriots  to  Ancona,  on  the  shores  of 
the  Adriatic.  The  distracted  mother  was  has- 
tening to  her  children  when  she  heard  of  the 
death  of  the  one,  and  of  the  sickness  and  peril- 
ous condition  of  the  other.  She  found  Louis 
Napoleon  at  Ancona,  in  a  burning  fever.  The 
Austrians  were  gathering  up  the  vanquished 
patriots  wherever  they  could  be  found  in  their 
dispersion,  and  were  mercilessly  shooting  them. 
Hortense  was  in  an  agony  of  terror.  She  knew 
that  her  son,  if  captured,  would  surely  be  shot. 
The  Austrians  were  soon  in  possession  of  An- 
cona. They  eagerly  sought  for  the  young 
prince,  who  bore  a  name  which  despots  have 
ever  feared.  A  price  was  set  upon  his  head 
The  sagacity  of  the  mother  rescued  the  child. 
She  made  arrangements  for  a  frail  skiff  to  steal 
out  from  the  harbor  and  cross  the  Adriatic  Sea 
to  the  shores  of  Illyria.  Deceived  by  this  strata- 


1830.]  PEACEFUL  DAYS,  YET  SAD.    287 


Escape  of  Louis  Napoleon. 


gem,  the  Austrian  police  had  no  doubt  that  the 
young  prince  had  escaped.  Their  vigilance  was 
accordingly  relaxed.  Hortense  then  took  a  car- 
riage for  Pisa.  Her  son,  burning  with  fever  and 
emaciate  from  grief  and  fatigue,  mounted  the 
box  behind  in  the  disguise  of  a  footman.  In  this 
manner,  exposed  every  moment  to  the  danger 
of  being  arrested  by  the  Austrian  police,  the 
anxious  mother  and  her  son  traversed  the  whole 
breadth  of  Italy.  As  Louis  Napoleon  had,  with 
arms  in  his  hands,  espoused  the  cause  of  the 
people  in  their  struggle  against  Austrian  despot- 
ism, he  could  expect  no  mercy,  and  there  was 
no  safety  for  him  anywhere  within  reach  of 
the  Austrian  arm. 

By  a  law  of  the  Bourbons,  enacted  in  1816, 
which  law  was  re-enacted  by  the  Government 
of  Louis  Philippe,  no  member  of  the  Bonaparte 
family  could  enter  France  but  under  the  pen- 
alty  of  death.  But  Napoleon  L,  when  in  pow- 
er, had  been  very  generous  to  the  House  of  Or- 
leans. Hortense,  also,  upon  the  return  of  Na- 
poleon from  Elba,  when  the  Royalists  were  fly- 
ing in  terror  from  the  kingdom,  had  protected 
and  warmly  befriended  distinguished  members 
of  the  family.  Under  these  circumstances,  dis- 
tracted by  the  fear  that  her  only  surviving  child 


•288  HORTENSE.  [1831. 

They  seek  refuge  in  France. 

would  be  arrested  and  shot,  and  knowing  not 
which  way  to  turn  for  safety,  the  mother  and 
the  son  decided,  notwithstanding  the  menace  of 
.death  suspended  over  them,  to  seek  a  moment- 
ary refuge,  incognito,  in  France. 

Embarking  in  a  small  vessel,  still  under  as- 
sumed names,  they  safely  reached  Cannes.  At 
this  port  Napoleon  had  landed  sixteen  years 
ago,  in  his  marvellous  return  from  Elba.  The 
mother  and  son  proceeded  immediately  to  Paris, 
resolved  to  cast  themselves  upon  the  generosi- 
ty of  Louis  Philippe.  Louis  Napoleon  was  still 
very  sick,  and  needed  his  bed  rather  than  the 
fatigues  of  travel.  It  was  the  intention  of  his 
mother,  so  soon  as  the  health  of  her  son  was 
sufficiently  restored,  to  continue  their  journey 
and  cross  over  to  England. 

Hortense,  in  her  "Memoires,"  speaking  of 
these  hours  of  adversity's  deepest  gloom,  writes: 

"  At  length  I  arrived  at  the  barrier  of  Paris. 
I  experienced  a  sort  of  self-love  in  exhibiting 
to  my  son,  by  its  most  beautiful  entrance,  that 
capital,  of  which  he  could  probably  retain  but  a 
feeble  recollection.  I  ordered  the  postillion  to 
take  us  through  the  Boulevards  to  the  Rue  de 
la  Paix,  and  to  stop  at  the  first  hotel.  Chance 
conducted  us  to  the  Hotel  D'  Hollande.  I  oc« 


1831.]  PEACEFUL  DAYS,  YET  SAD.    289 


The  vicissitudes  of  life. 


cupied  a  small  apartment  on  the  third  floor,  du 
premier,  first  above  the  entresol.  From  my 
room  I  could  see  the  Boulevard  and  the  column 
in  the  Place  Vendome.  I  experienced  a  sort 
of  saddened  pleasure,  in  my  isolation,  in  once 
more  beholding  that  city  which  I  was  about  to 
leave,  perhaps  forever,  without  speaking  to  a 
person,  and  without  being  distracted  by  the 
impression  which  that  view  made  upon  me." 

Twenty-two  years  before,  Hortense,  in  this 
city,  had  given  birth  to  the  child  who  was  now 
sick  and  a  fugitive.  Austria  was  thirsting  for 
his  blood,  and  the  Government  of  his  own  na- 
tive land  had  laid  upon  him  the  ban  of  exile, 
and  it  was  at  the  peril  of  their  lives  that  either 
mother  or  son  placed  their  feet  upon  the  soil 
of  France.  And  yet  the  birth  of  this  prince 
was  welcomed  by  salvos  of  artillery,  and  by 
every  enthusiastic  demonstration  of  public  re- 
joicing, from  Hamburg  to  Eome,  and  from  the 
Pyrenees  to  the  Danube. 

Louis  Napoleon  was  still  suffering  from  a 
burning  fever.  A  few  days  of  repose  seemed 
essential  to  the  preservation  of  his  life.  Hor- 
tense immediately  wrote  a  letter  to  King  Louis 
Philippe,  informing  him  of  the  arrival  of  herself 
and  son,  incognito,  in  Paris,  of  the  circumstan- 
3—19 


290  HORTENSE.  [183L 

Obligations  of  Louts  Philippe  to  Hortense. 

ces  which  had  rendered  the  step  necessary,  and 
casting  themselves  upon  his  protection.  Louis 
Philippe  owed  Hortense  a  deep  debt  of  grati- 
tude. He  had  joined  the  Allies  in  their  war 
against  France.  He  had  come  back  to  Paris  in 
the  rear  of  their  batteries.  By  French  law  he 
was  a  traitor  doomed  to  die.  When  Napoleon 
returned  from  Elba  he  fled  from  France  in  ter- 
ror, again  to  join  the  Allies.  He  was  then  the 
Duke  of  Orleans.  The  Duchess  of  Orleans  had 
slipped  upon  the  stairs  and  broken  her  leg.  She 
could  not  be  moved.  Both  Hortense  and  Na- 
poleon treated  her  with  the  greatest  kindness. 
Of  several  letters  which  the  Duchess  of  Orleans 
wrote  Hortense,  full  of  expressions  of  obliga- 
ion  and  gratitude,  we  will  quote  but  one. 

The  Duchess  of  Orleans  to  Queen  Hortense. 

"  April  19, 1815. 

"  MADAME, — I  am  truly  afflicted  that  the  fee- 
ble state  of  my  health  deprives  me  of  the  oppor- 
tunity of  expressing  to  your  majesty,  as  I  could 
wish,  my  gratitude  for  the  interest  she  has  man- 
ifested in  my  situation.  I  am  still  suffering 
much  pain,  as  my  limb  has  not  yet  healed.  But 
I  can  not  defer  expressing  to  your  majesty,  and 
to  his  majesty,  the  Emperor,  to  whom  I  beg 


1831.]  PEACEFUL  DAYS,  YET  SAC. 


The  Duchess  of  Bourbon. 


you  to  be  my  interpreter,  the  gratitude  I  feei 
I  am,  madame,  your  majesty's  servant, 
"  LOUISE  MARIE  ADELAIDE  DE 

BOURBON,  DUCHESS  D'ORLEANS. 

The  Emperor,  in  response  to  the  solicitations 
of  Hortense,  had  permitted  the  Duchess  of  Or- 
leans to  remain  in  Paris,  and  also  had  assured 
her  of  a  pension  of  four  hundred  thousand  francs 
($80,000).  The  Duchess  of  Bourbon,  also,  aunt 
of  the  Duke  of  Orleans,  was  permitted  to  re- 
main in  the  city.  And  she,  also,  that  she  might 
be  able  to  maintain  the  position  due  to  her 
rank,  received  from  the  Emperor  a  pension  of 
two  hundred  thousand  francs  ($40,000).  The 
Duchess  of  Bourbon  had  written  to  Hortense 
for  some  great  favors,  which  Hortense  obtain- 
ed for  her.  In  reply  to  the  assurance  of  Hor- 
tense that  she  would  do  what  she  could  to  aid 
her,  the  duchess  wrote,  under  date  of  April 
29th,  1815: 

"  I  am  exceedingly  grateful  for  your  kind- 
ness, and  I  have  full  confidence  in  the  desire 
which  you  express  to  aid  me.  I  can  hardly 
believe  that  the  Emperor  will  refuse  a  demand 
which  I  will  venture  to  say  is  so  just,  and  par- 
ticularly when  it  is  presented  by  you.  Believe 


-292  HORTENSE.  [1831. 

Letter  to  Hortense. 

me,  madame,  that  my  gratitude  equals  the  sen- 
timents of  which  I  beg  you  to  receive,  in  ad- 
vance, the  most  sincere  attestation." 

Under  these  circumstances  Hortense  could 
not  doubt  that  she  might  venture  to  appeal  to 
the  magnanimity  of  the  king. 


1831.]    LIFE  AT  ARENEMBERG.        29£ 


Embarrassments  of  Louis  Philippe. 


CHAPTER  IX. 
LIFE  AT  ARENEMBERQ. 

IT  mast  be  confessed  that  the  position  of 
Louis  Philippe  was  painful  when  he  re- 
ceived the  note  from  Hortense  announcing  that 
she  and  her  son  were  in  Paris.  An  insurrec- 
tion in  the  streets  of  Paris  had  overthrown  the 
throne  of  the  Bourbons,  and  with  it  the  doo- 
trine  of  legitimacy.  Louis  Philippe  had  been 
placed  upon  the  vacant  throne,  not  by  the  voice 
of  the  French  people,  but  by  a  small  clique  in 
Paris.  There  was  danger  that  allied  Europe 
would  again  rouse  itself  to  restore  the  Bour- 
bons. Louis  Philippe  could  make  no  appeal 
to  the  masses  of  the  people  for  support,  for  he- 
was  not  the  king  of  their  choice.  Should  he- 
do  any  thing  indicative  of  friendship  for  the 
Bonapartes,  it  might  exasperate  all  dynastic 
Europe ;  and  should  the  French  people  learn 
that  an  heir  of  the  Empire  was  in  France,  theii 
enthusiasm  might  produce  convulsions  the  end 
of  which  no  one  could  foresee. 

Thus  unstably  seated  upon  his  throne,  Louia 


294  HORTENSE.  [1831. 

The  minister's  interview  with  Hortense. 

Philippe  was  in  a  state  of  great  embarrassment 
He  felt  that  he  could  not  consult  the  impulses 
of  his  heart,  but  that  he  must  listen  to  the  cold- 
er dictates  of  prudence.  He  therefore  did  not 
venture  personally  to  call  upon  Queen  Hor- 
tense, but  sent  Casimir  Perier,  president  of  his 
council,  to  see  her.  As  Perier  entered  her 
apartment,  Hortense  said  to  him : 

"  Sir,  I  am  a  mother.  My  only  means  of 
saving  my  son  was  to  come  to  France.  I  know 
very  well  that  I  have  transgressed  a  law.  I 
am  well  aware  of  the  risks  we  run.  You  have 
a  right  to  cause  our  arrest.  It  would  be  just." 

"Just?"  responded  the  minister,  "no;  legal? 
yes."  The  result  of  some  anxious  deliberation 
was  that,  in  consideration  of  the  alarming  sick- 
ness of  the  young  prince,  they  were  to  be  per- 
mitted, provided  they  preserved  the  strictest 
incognito,  to  remain  in  the  city  one  week. 
The  king  also  granted  Hortense  a  private 
audience.  He  himself  knew  full  well  the  sor- 
rows of  exile.  He  spoke  feelingly  of  the  weary 
years  which  he  and  his  family  had  spent  in 
banishment  from  France. 

"I  have  experienced,"  said  he  to  Hortense, 
"  all  the  griefs  of  exile.  And  it  is  not  in  ac- 
cordance with  my  wishes  that  yours  have  not 


1831.]    LIFE  AT  ARENEHBERG.        295 


Hortense  ordered  to  leave  France. 


yet  ceased."  Hortense  also  saw  the  queen  and 
the  king's  sister.  There  were  but  these  four 
persons  who  were  allowed  to  know  that  Hor- 
tense was  in  Paris.  And  but  two  of  these,  the 
king  and  his  minister,  knew  that  Prince  Louis 
Napoleon  was  in  the  city.  But  just  then  came 
the  5th  of  May.  It  was  the  anniversary  of  the 
death  of  the  Emperor  at  St.  Helena.  As  ever, 
in  this  anniversary,  immense  crowds  of  the 
Parisian  people  gathered  around  the  column 
on  the  Place  Vendome  with  their  homage  to 
their  beloved  Emperor,  and  covering  the  rail- 
ing with  wreaths  of  immortelles  and  other 
flowers.  Had  the  populace  known  that  from 
his  window  an  heir  of  the  great  Emperor  was 
looking  upon  them,  it  would  have  created  a 
flame  of  enthusiasm  which  scarcely  any  earth- 
ly power  could  have  quenched. 

The  anxiety  of  the  king,  in  view  of  the  peril, 
was  so  great,  that  Hortense  was  informed  that 
the  public  safety  required  that  she  should  im- 
mediately leave  France,  notwithstanding  the 
continued  sickness  of  her  son.  The  order  was 
imperative.  But  both  the  king  and  the  minis- 
ter offered  her  money,  that  she  might  continue 
her  journey  to  London.  But  Hortense  did 
not  need  pecuniary  aid.  She  had  just  cashed 


296  HORTENSE.  [1881 

Letter  from  Louis  Napoleon. 

at  the  bank  an  order  for  sixteen  thousand 
francs.  Before  leaving  the  city,  Louis  Napo- 
leon wrote  to  the  king  a  very  eloquent  and 
dignified  letter,  in  which  he  claimed  his  right, 
as  a  French  citizen,  who  had  never  committed 
any  crime,  of  residing  in  his  native  land.  He 
recognized  the  king  as  the  representative  of  a 
great  nation,  and  earnestly  offered  his  services 
in  defense  of  his  country  in  the  ranks  of  the 
army.  He  avowed  that  in  Italy  he  had  es- 
poused the  cause  of  the  people  in  opposition 
to  aristocratic  usurpation,  and  he  demanded  the 
privilege  of  taking  his  position,  as  a  French, 
citizen,  beneath  the  tri-color  of  France. 

No  reply  was  returned  to  this  letter.  It  is 
said  that  the  spirit  and  energy  it  displayed  mag- 
nified the  alarm  of  the  king,  and  increased  his 
urgency  to  remove  the  writer,  as  speedily  as 
possible,  from  the  soil  of  France. 

On  the  6th  of  May  Hortense  and  her  so» 
left  Paris,  and  proceeded  that  day  to  Chantilly. 
Travelling  slowly,  they  were  four  days  in  reach- 
ing Calais,  where  they  embarked  for  England. 
Upon  their  arrival  in  London,  both  Hortense 
and  her  son  met  with  a  very  flattering  recep- 
tion from  gentlemen  of  all  parties.  For  some 
time  they  were  the  guests  of  the  Duke  of  Bed- 


1832.]    LIFE  AT  ARENEMBERG.        297 


Right  of  citizenship  conferred. 


ford,  at  Woburn  Abbey.  Talleyrand,  who  was 
then  French  ambassador  at  the  Court  of  St. 
James,  with  characteristic  diplomatic  caution 
called  himself,  and  by  means  of  an  agent  sought 
to  ascertain  what  were  the  secret  plans  and 
purposes  of  Queen  Hortense. 

Several  months  were  passed  very  profitably 
in  England,  and  as  pleasantly  as  was  possible 
for  persons  who  had  been  so  long  buffetted  by 
the  storms  of  adversity,  who  were  exiles  from 
their  native  land,  and  who  knew  not  in  what 
direction  to  look  for  a  home  of  safety.  While 
in  this  state  of  perplexity,  both  mother  and  son 
were  exceedingly  gratified  by  receiving  from 
the  Canton  of  Thurgovia  the  following  docu- 
ment, conferring  the  rights  of  citizenship  upon 
the  young  prince.  The  document  bore  the 
date  of  Thurgovia,  April  30th,  1832. 

"  We,  the  President  of  the  Council  of  the 
Canton  of  Thurgovia,  declare  that,  the  Com- 
mune of  Sallenstein  having  offered  the  right 
of  communal  citizenship  to  his  highness,  Prince 
Louis  Napoleon,  out  of  gratitude  for  the  nu- 
merous favors  conferred  upon  the  canton  by 
the  family  of  the  Duchess  of  St.  Leu,  since  her 
residence  in  Arenemberg;  and  the  grand  coun- 
cil having  afterwards,  by  its  unanimous  vote 


298  HORTENSE.  [1832. 

Response  of  the  prince. 

of  the  14th  of  April,  sanctioned  this  award,  and 
decreed  unanimously  to  his  highness  the  right 
of  honorary  burghership  of  the  canton,  with 
the  desire  of  proving  how  highly  it  honors  the 
generous  character  of  this  family,  and  how 
highly  it  appreciates  the  preference  they  have 
shown  for  the  canton ;  declares  that  his  high- 
ness, Prince  Louis  Napoleon,  son  of  the  Duke 
and  Duchess  of  St.  Leu,  is  acknowledged  as  a 
citizen  of  the  Canton  of  Thurgovia." 

The  prince,  in  the  response  which  he  made 
in  the  name  of  his  mother  and  himself,  ex- 
pressed their  gratitude  for  the  kindness  with 
which  they  had  ever  been  treated,  and  thank- 
ed them  especially  for  the  honor  which  they 
had  conferred  upon  him,  in  making  him  the 
"  citizen  of  a  free  nation."  As  a  testimonial 
of  his  esteem  he  sent  to  the  authorities  of  the 
canton  two  brass  six -pounder  cannon,  with 
complete  trains  and  equipage.  He  also  found- 
ed a  free  school  in  the  village  of  Sallenstein. 

Encouraged  by  these  expressions  of  kindly 
feeling,  both  Hortense  and  her  son  were  very 
desirous  to  return  to  their  quiet  and  much- 
loved  retreat  at  Arenemberg.  The  prince, 
however,  who  never  allowed  himself  to  waste 
a  moment  of  time,  devote.d  himself,  during  this 


1832.]    LIFE  AT  ARENEMBERG.        299 

Permission  to  pass  through  France. 

short  visit  to  England,  assiduously  to  the  study 
of  the  workings  of  British  institutions,  and  to 
the  progress  which  the  nation  had  attained  in 
the  sciences  and  the  arts.  It  was  not  easy  for 
Hortense  and  her  son  to  return  to  Arenemberg. 
The  Government  of  Louis  Philippe  would  not 
permit  them  to  pass  through  France.  Austria 
vigilantly  and  indignantly  watched  every  path- 
way through  Italy.  They  made  application 
for  permission  to  pass  through  Belgium,  but 
this  was  denied  them.  The  Belgian  throne, 
which  was  afterwards  offered  to  Leopold,  was 
then  vacant.  It  was  feared  that  the  people 
would  rally  at  the  magic  name  of  Napoleon, 
and  insist  that  the  crown  should  be  placed 
upon  the  brow  of  the  young  prince. 

In  this  sore  dilemma,  Louis  Philippe  at  last 
consented,  very  reluctantly,  that  they  might 
pass  hurriedly  through  France,  Hortense  as- 
suming the  name  of  the  Baroness  of  Arenem- 
berg, and  both  giving  their  pledge  not  to  enter 
Paris.  Having  obtained  the  necessary  pass- 
ports, Hortense,  with  her  son,  left  London  in 
August,  and,  crossing  the  Channel,  landed  at 
Calais,  thus  placing  their  feet  once  more  upon 
the  soil  of  their  native  land,  from  which  they 
were  exiled  by  Bourbon  power  simply  because 


300  HORTENSE.  [1832. 

Louis  Napoleon  invited  to  the  throne  of  Poland. 

they  bore  the  name  of  Bonaparte,  which  all 
France  so  greatly  revered.  In  conformity  with 
their  agreement  they  avoided  Paris,  though 
they  visited  the  tomb  of  Josephine,  at  Ruel. 

They  had  scarcely  reached  Switzerland  when 
a  deputation  of  distinguished  Poles  called  upon 
the  young  prince,  urging  him  to  place  himself 
at  the  head  of  their  nation,  then  in  arms,  en- 
deavoring to  regain  independence.  The  letter 
containing  this  offer  was  dated  August  31. 
1831.  It  was  signed  by  General  Kniazewiez, 
Count  Plater,  and  many  other  of  the  most  it 
lustrious  men  of  Poland. 

"  To  whom,"  it  was  said,  "  can  the  direction 
of  our  enterprise  be  better  intrusted  than  to 
the  nephew  of  the  greatest  captain  of  all  ages  ? 
A  young  Bonaparte  appearing  in  our  country, 
tri-color  in  hand,  would  produce  a  moral  ef- 
fect of  incalculable  consequences.  Come,  then, 
young  hero,  hope  of  our  country.  Trust  to 
the  waves,  which  already  know  your  name, 
the  fortunes  of  Cassar,  and  what  is  more,  the 
destinies  of  liberty.  You  will  gain  the  grati- 
tude of  your  brethren  in  arms  and  the  admira- 
tion of  the  world." 

The  chivalric  spirit  of  the  young  prince  was 
aroused.  Notwithstanding  the  desperation  of 


1832.]    LIFE  AT  ARENEMBERG.        301 


Visit  of  Madame  Recamier. 


the  enterprise  and  the  great  anxiety  of  his 
mother,  Louis  Napoleon  left  Arenemberg  to 
join  the  Poles.  He  had  not  proceeded  far 
when  he  received  the  intelligence  that  War- 
saw was  captured  and  that  the  patriots  were 
crushed.  Sadly  he  returned  to  Arenemberg. 
Again,  as  ever,  he  sought  solace  for  his  disap- 
pointment in  intense  application  to  study.  In 
August,  1832,  Madame  Recamier  with  M.  de 
Chateaubriand  made  a  visit  to  Hortense,  at  the 
chateau  of  Arenemberg.  The  biographer  of 
Madame  Recamier  in  the  following  terms  re- 
cords this  visit : 

"  In  August,  1832,  Madame  Recamier  de- 
cided to  make  a  trip  to  Switzerland,  where  she 
was  to  meet  M.  de  Chateaubriand,  who  was  al- 
ready wandering  in  the  mountains.  She  went 
to  Constance.  The  chateau  of  Arenemberg, 
•where  the  Duchess  of  St.  Leu  passed  her  sum- 
mers, and  which  she  had  bought  and  put  in 
order,  overlooks  Lake  Constance.  It  was  im- 
possible for  Madame  Re'camier  not  to  give  a 
few  days  to  this  kind  and  amiable  person,  es- 
pecially in  her  forlorn  and  isolated  position. 
The  duchess,  too,  had  lost,  the  year  previous, 
her  eldest  son,  Napoleon,  who  died  in  Italy. 

"When  M.  de  Chateaubriand  joined  Madame 


302  HORTENSE.  [1832. 

Accomplishments  of  the  Prince. 

Re*camier  at  Constance,  he  was  invited  to  dine 
with  her  at  the  castle.  Hortense  received  him 
with  the  most  gracious  kindness,  and  read  tc 
him  some  extracts  from  her  own  memoira 
The  establishment  at  Arenemberg  was  elegant, 
and  on  a  large  though  not  ostentatious  scale. 
Hortense's  manners,  in  her  own  house,  were 
simple  and  affectionate.  She  talked  too  much, 
perhaps,  about  her  taste  for  a  life  of  retirement, 
love  of  nature,  and  aversion  to  greatness,  to  be 
wholly  believed.  After  all  these  protestations, 
her  visitor  could  not  perceive  without  surprise 
the  care  the  duchess  and  her  househol ""  *-?ok 
to  treat  Prince  Louis  like  a  sovereign  He 
had  the  precedence  of  every  one. 

"  The  prince,  polite,  accomplished,  a-  -,£  taci- 
turn, appeared  to  Madame  Re'camier  tc  ^e  a 
very  different  person  from  his  elder  brother, 
whom  she  had  known  in  Rome,  young,  gen- 
erous, and  enthusiastic.  The  prince  sketched 
for  her,  in  sepia,  a  view  of  Lake  Constance, 
overlooked  by  toe  chateau  of  Arenemberg. 
In  the  foreground  a  shepherd,  leaning  against 
a  tree,  is  watching  his  flock  and  playing  on 
the  flute.  This  design,  pleasantly  associated 
with  Madame  Re*camier's  visit,  is  now  histori- 
cally interesting.  For  the  last  ten  years  the 


1832.]      LlF3    AT    ASENEMBERG.  303 


Heirs  to  the  Empire. 


signature  of  the  author  has  been  affixed  to 
very  different  things." 

But  a  month  before  this  visit,  in  July,  1832, 
Napoleon's  only  son,  the  Duke  of  Keichstadt, 
died  at  the  age  of  twenty-one  years.  All  con- 
cur in  testifying  to  his  noble  character.  He 
died  sadly,  ever  cherishing  the  memory  of  his 
illustrious  sire,  who  had  passed  to  the  grave 
through  the  long  agony  of  St.  Helena.  The 
death  of  the  Duke  of  Reichstadt  brought  Louis 
Napoleon  one  step  nearer  to  the  throne  of  the 
Empire,  according  to  the  vote  of  the  French. 
There  were  now  but  two  heirs  between  him 
and  the  crown — his  uncle  Joseph  and  his  fa- 
ther Louis.  Both  of  these  were  advanced  in 
life,  and  the  latter  exceedingly  infirm.  The 
legitimists  denied  that  the  people  had  any 
right  to  establish  a  dynasty ;  but  it  was  clear 
that  whatever  rights  popular  suffrage  could 
confer  would  descend  to  Louis  Napoleon  upon 
the  death  of  Joseph  and  of  Louis  Bonaparte. 
Louis  Napoleon  had  no  doubt  that  the  im- 
mense majority  of  the  French  people  would 
improve  the  first  possible  opportunity  to  re- 
establish the  Empire ;  and  consequently  the 
conviction  which  he  so  confidently  cherished, 
that  he  was  destined  to  be  the  Emperor  of 


804  HORTENSE.  [1832. 

Studious  luibits  of  Louis  Napoleon. 

France,  was  not  a  vague  and  baseless  impres- 
sion, but  the  dictate  of  sound  judgment. 

The  Holy  Alliance  now  contemplated  Louia 
Napoleon  with  great  anxiety,  and  kept  a  very 
close  watch  upon  all  his  movements.  The  Gov- 
ernment of  Louis  Philippe  was  even  more  un- 
popular in  France  than  the  Government  of  the 
elder  branch  of  the  Bourbons  had  been.  The 
crown  had  not  been  placed  upon  his  brow  either 
by  legitimacy  or  by  popular  suffrage,  and  there 
were  but  few  whom  he  could  rally  to  his  sup- 
port 

With  never-flagging  zeal  the  prince  prose- 
cuted his  studies  in  the  peaceful  retreat  at 
Arenemberg,  that  he  might  be  prepared  for 
the  high  destiny  which  he  believed  awaited 
him.  He  published  several  very  important 
treatises,  which  attracted  the  attention  of  Eu- 
rope, and  which  gave  him  a  high  position,  not 
merely  as  a  man  of  letters,  but  as  a  statesman 
of  profound  views.  The  Spectateur  Militaire,  in 
the  review  of  the  "  Manual  of  Artillery,"  by 
Prince  Louis  Napoleon,  says: 

"  In  looking  over  this  book,  it  is  impossible 
not  to  be  struck  with  the  laborious  industry  of 
which  it  is  the  fruit.  Of  this  we  can  get  an 
idea  by  the  list  of  authors,  French,  German,  and 


1832.]    LIFE  AT  ARENEMBERG.        305 

Testimony  of  an  English  gentleman. 

English,  which  he  has  consulted.  And  this  list 
is  no  vain  catalogue.  We  can  find  in  the  text 
the  ideas,  and  often  the  very  expressions,  o't 
the  authorities  which  he  has  quoted.  When 
we  consider  how  much  study  and  perseverance 
must  have  been  employed  to  succeed  in  pro- 
ducing only  the  literary  part  (for  even  the  illus- 
trations scattered  through  the  work  are  from 
the  author's  own  designs)  of  a  book  which  re- 
quires such  profound  and  varied  attainments, 
and  when  we  remember  that  this  author  was 
born  on  the  steps  of  a  throne,  we  can  not  help 
being  seized  with  admiration  for  the  man  who 
thus  bravely  meets  the  shocks  of  adversity." 

A  gentleman,  in  a  work  entitled  "Letters 
from  London,"  in  the  following  language  de- 
scribes the  prince's  mode  of  life  at  Arenem- 
berg: 

"  From  his  tenderest  youth  Prince  Louis  Na- 
poleon has  despised  the  habits  of  an  effeminate 
life.  Although  his  mother  allowed  him  a  con- 
siderable sum  for  his  amusements,  these  were 
the  last  things  he  thought  of.  All  this  money 
was  spent  in  acts  of  beneficence,  in  founding 
schools  or  houses  of  refuge,  in  printing  his 
military  or  political  works,  or  in  making  scien- 
tific experiments.  His  mode  of  life  was  always 
3—20 


306  HORTENSE.  [1832. 

Personal  appearance  of  Louis  Napoleon. 

frugal,  and  rather  rude.  At  Arenemberg  it 
was  quite  military. 

"  His  room,  situated  not  in  the  castle,  but  in 
a  small  pavilion  beside  it,  offered  none  of  the 
grandeur  or  elegance  so  prevalent  in  Hortense's 
apartment.  It  was,  in  truth,  a  regular  soldier's 
tent  Neither  carpet  nor  arm-chair  appeared 
there ;  nothing  that  could  indulge  the  body ; 
nothing  but  books  of  science  and  arms  of  all 
kinds.  As  for  himself,  he  was  on  horseback 
at  break  of  day,  and  before  any  one  had  risen 
in  the  castle  he  had  ridden  several  leagues.  He 
then  went  to  work  in  his  cabinet.  Accustomed 
to  military  exercises,  as  good  a  rider  as  could 
be  seen,  he  never  let  a  day  pass  without  devot- 
ing some  hours  to  sword  and  lance  practice 
and  the  use  of  infantry  arms,  which  he  managed 
with  extraordinary  rapidity  and  address." 

His  personal  appearance  at  that  time  is  thus 
graphically  sketched.  "  He  is  middle-sized,  of 
an  agreeable  countenance,  and  has  a  military 
air.  To  personal  advantages  he  joins  the  more 
seductive  distinction  of  manners  simple,  natu- 
ral, and  full  of  good  taste  and  ease.  At  first 
sight  I  was  struck  with  his  resemblance  to 
Prince  Eugene,  and  to  the  Empress  Josephine, 
his  grandmother.  But  I  did  not  remark  a  like 


THE   STUDY  OF   LOUIS  NAPOLEON. 


1833.]    LIFE  AT  ARENEHBERG.        309 


His  resemblance  to  the  Emperor. 


resemblance  to  the  Emperor.  But  by  atten- 
tively observing  the  essential  features,  that  isr 
those  not  depending  on  more  or  less  fullnesa 
or  on  more  or  less  beard,  we  soon  discover  that 
the  Napoleonic  type  is  reproduced  with  aston- 
ishing fidelity.  It  is,  in  fact,  the  same  lofty 
forehead,  broad  and  straight,  the  same  nose,  of 
fine  proportions,  the  same  gray  eyes,  though 
the  expression  is  milder.  It  is  particularly  the 
same  contour  and  inclination  of  the  head.  The 
latter  especially,  when  the  prince  turns,  is  so- 
full  of  the  Napoleon  air,  as  to  make  a  soldier 
of  the  Old  Guard  thrill  at  the  sight.  And  if 
the  eye  rests  on  the  outline  of  these  forms,  it 
is  impossible  not  to  be  struck,  as  if  before  the 
head  of  the  Emperor,  with  the  imposing  grand- 
eur of  the  Roman  profile,  of  which  the  lines, 
so  defined,  so  grave,  I  will  even  add  and  so  sol- 
emn, are,  as  it  were,  the  soul  of  great  destinies. 
"  The  distinguishing  expression  of  the  fea- 
tures of  the  young  prince  is  that  of  nobleness 
and  gravity.  And  yet,  far  from  being  harsh, 
his  countenance,  on  the  contrary,  breathes  a 
sentiment  of  mildness  and  benevolence.  It 
seems  that  the  maternal  type  which  is  pre- 
served in  the  lower  part  of  his  face  has  come 
to  correct  the  rigidity  of  the  imperial  lines,  as 


310  HORTENSE.  [1833. 

Letter  to  M.  Belmontet. 

the  blood  of  the  Beauharnais  seems  to  have 
tempered  in  him  the  southern  violence  of  the 
Napoleon  blood.  But  what  excites  the  greatest 
interest  is  that  indefinable  tinge  of  melancholy 
and  thoughtfulness  observable  in  the  slightest 
movement,  and  revealing  the  noble  sufferings 
of  exile. 

"  But  after  this  portrait  you  must  not  figure 
to  yourself  one  of  those  elegant  young  men, 
those  Adonises  of  romance  who  excite  the  ad- 
miration of  the  drawing-room.  There  is  noth- 
ing of  effeminacy  in  the  young  Napoleon.  The 
dark  shadows  of  his  countenance  indicate  an 
energetic  nature.  His  assured  look,  his  glance 
at  once  quick  and  thoughtful,  every  thing 
about  him  points  out  one  of  those  exceptional 
natures,  one  of  those  great  souls  that  live  by 
meditating  on  great  things,  and  that  alone  are 
capable  of  accomplishing  them." 

About  this  time  the  young  prince  wrote  as 
follows  to  his  friend,  the  poet  Belmontet: 
"  Still  far  from  my  country,  and  deprived  of 
all  that  can  render  life  dear  to  a  manly  heart, 
I  yet  endeavor  to  retain  my  courage  in  spite 
of  fate,  and  find  my  only  consolation  in  hard 
study.  Adieu.  Sometimes  think  of  all  the 
bitter  thoughts  which  must  fill  my  mind  when 


1833.]    LIFE  AT  ARENEMBERG.        311 


Letter  to  a  friend. 


I  contrast  the  past  glories  of  France  with  her 
presen  t  condition  and  hopeless  future.  It  needs 
no  little  courage  to  press  on  alone,  as  one  can, 
towards  the  goal  which  one's  heart  has  vowed 
to  reach.  Nevertheless  I  must  not  despair, 
the  honor  of  France  has  so  many  elements  of 
vitality  in  it." 

Some  months  later  he  wrote  to  the  same 
friend:  "My  life  has  been  until  now  marked 
only  by  profound  griefs  and  stifled  wishes. 
The  blood  of  Napoleon  rebels  in  my  veins,  in 
not  being  able  to  flow  for  the  national  glory. 
Until  the  present  time  there  has  been  nothing 
remarkable  in  my  life,  excepting  my  birth. 
The  sun  of  glory  shone  upon  my  cradle.  Alas ! 
that  is  all.  But  who  can  complain  when  the 
Emperor  has  suffered  so  much  ?  Faith  in  the 
future,  such  is  my  only  hope ;  the  sword  of  the 
Emperor  my  only  stay ;  a  glorious  death  for 
France  my  ambition.  Adieu  1  Think  of  the 
poor  exiles,  whose  eyes  are  ever  turned  towards 
the  beloved  shores  of  France.  And  believe 
that  my  heart  will  never  cease  to  beat  at  the 
sound  of  country,  honor,  patriotism,  and  devo- 
tion." 

Hortense  deeply  sympathized  in  the  sorrows 
of  her  son.  Like  the  caged  eagle,  he  was 


312  HORTENSE. 


Love  of  Hortense  for  her  son. 


struggling  against  his  bars,  longing  for  a  lofty 
flight.  On  the  10th  of  August,  1834,  she  wrote 
to  their  mutual  friend,  Belmontet  as  follows : 

"  The  state  of  my  affairs  obliges  me  to  re- 
main during  the  winter  in  my  mountain  home, 
exposed  to  all  its  winds.  But  what  is  this 
compared  with  the  dreadful  sufferings  which 
the  Emperor  endured  upon  the  rock  of  St. 
Helena?  I  would  not  complain  if  my  son,  at 
his  age,  did  not  find  himself  deprived  of  all  so- 
ciety and  completely  isolated,  without  any  di- 
version but  the  laborious  pursuits  to  which  he 
is  devoted.  His  courage  and  strength  of  soul 
equal  his  sad  and  painful  destiny.  What  a 
generous  nature  I  What  a  good  and  noble 
young  man!  I  am  proud  to  be  his  mother, 
and  I  should  admire  him  if  I  were  not  so.  I 
rejoice  as  much  in  the  nobleness  of  his  charac- 
ter, as  I  grieve  at  being  unable  to  render  his 
life  more  happy.  He  was  born  for  better 
things.  He  is  worthy  of  them.  We  contem- 
plate passing  a  couple  of  months  at  Geneva 
There  he  will  at  least  hear  the  French  lan- 
guage spoken.  That  will  be  an  agreeable 
change  for  him.  The  mother- tongue,  is  it  not 
almost  one's  country  ?" 

It  every  day  became  more  and  more  evident 


1834]    LIFE  AT  ARENEMBERG.         313 


Column  in  the  Place  Vendome. 


that  the  throne  of  Louis  Philippe,  founded  only 
upon  the  stratagem  of  a  clique  in  Paris,  could 
not  stand  long.  Under  these  circumstances, 
one  of  the  leading  Eepublicans  in  Paris  wrote 
to  the  prince  as  follows : 

"  The  life  of  the  king  is  daily  threatened. 
If  one  of  these  attempts  should  succeed,  we 
should  be  exposed  to  the  most  serious  convul 
sions;  for  there  is  no  longer  in  France  any 
party  which  can  lead  the  others,  nor  any  man 
who  can  inspire  general  confidence.  In  this 
position,  prince,  we  have  turned  our  eyes  to* 
you.  The  great  name  which  you  bear,  your 
opinions,  your  character,  every  thing  induces  us 
to  see  in  you  a  point  of  rallying  for  the  popu- 
lar cause.  Hold  yourself  ready  for  action,  and 
when  the  time  shall  come  your  friends  will  not 
fail  you." 

The  Government  of  Louis  Philippe  had  been 
constrained  by  the  demand  of  the  French  peo- 
ple to  restore  to  the  summit  of  the  column  in 
the  Place  Vendome  the  statue  of  Napoleon, 
which  the  Allies  had  torn  from  it.  As  the 
colossal  image  of  the  Emperor  was  raised  to  its 
proud  elevation  on  that  majestic  shaft,  the  ut- 
most enthusiasm  pervaded  not  only  the  streets 
of  the  metropolis,  but  entire  France.  Day  af- 


S14  HOBTENSE.  [1834. 

Arc  de  1'Etoile. 

ter  day  immense  crowds  gathered  in  the  place, 
garlanding  the  railing  with  wreaths  of  immor- 
telles, and  exhibiting  enthusiam  which  greatly 
alarmed  the  Government. 

Hortense  and  Louis,  from  their  place  of 
exile,  watched  these  popular  demonstrations 
•with  intensest  interest  All  France  seemed  to 
be  honoring  Napoleon.  And  yeJt  neither  Hor- 
tense nor  her  son  were  allowed  by  the  Gov- 
ernment to  touch  the  soil  of  France  under 
penalty  of  death,  simply  because  they  were 
relatives  of  Napoleon.  The  completion  of  the 
Arc  de  1'Etoile,  at  the  head  of  the  avenue  of 
the  Champs  Elysee,  a  work  which  Napoleon 
had  originated,  was  another  reminder  to  the 
Parisians  of  the  genius  of  the  great  Emperor. 

The  Emperor,  with  dying  breath,  had  said 
at  St.  Helena,  "  It  is  my  wish  that  my  ashes 
may  repose  on  the  banks  of  the  Seine,  in  the 
midst  of  the  French  people  whom  I  have  loved 
so  well."  All  France  was  now  demanding 
that  this  wish  should  be  fulfilled.  The  Gov- 
ernment dared  not  attempt  to  resist  the  popu- 
lar sentiment.  The  remains  were  demanded 
of  England,  and  two  frigates  were  sent  to  trans- 
port them  to  France.  And  the  whole  king- 
dom prepared  to  receive  those  remains,  and 


1835.]    LIFE  AT  AKENEMBERG.        315 


First  heir  to  the  Kmpire. 


honor  them  with  a  burial  more  imposing  than 
had  ever  been  conferred  upon  a  mortal  before. 

Louis  Napoleon  and  his  friends  thought  that 
the  time  had  now  arrived  in  which  it  was  ex- 
pedient for  him  to  present  himself  before  the 
people  of  France,  and  claim  their  protection 
from  the  oppression  of  the  French  Government. 
It  was  believed  that  the  French  people,  should 
the  opportunity  be  presented  them,  would  rise 
at  the  magic  name  of  Napoleon,  overthrow  the 
throne  of  Louis  Philippe,  and  then,  by  the 
voice  of  universal  suffrage,  would  re-establish 
the  Empire. 

This  would  place  Joseph  Bonaparte  on  the 
throne,  and  would  at  once  annul  the  decree  of 
banishment  against  the  whole  Bonaparte  fami- 
ly. Hortense  and  Louis  Napoleon  could  then 
return  to  their  native  land.  As  Louis  Napo- 
leon was  in  the  direct  line  of  hereditary  de- 
scent, the  re-establishment  of  the  Empire  would 
undoubtedly  in  the  end  secure  the  crown  for 
Louis  Napoleon.  The  ever-increasing  enthu- 
siasm manifested  for  the  memory  of  Napoleon 
I.,  and  the  almost  universal  unpopularity  of  the 
Government  of  Louis  Philippe,  led  Louis  Na- 
poleon and  his  friends  to  think  that  the  time 
had  come  for  the  restoration  of  the  Empire,  or 


816  HORTENSE.  [183d. 

The  throne  of  Lonis  Philippe  menaced. 

rather  to  restore  to  the  people  the  right  of  uni- 
versal suffrage,  that  they  might  choose  a  re- 
public or  empire  or  a  monarchy,  as  the  people 
should  judge  best  for  the  interests  of  France. 

It  so  happened  that  there  was,  at  that  time, 
in  garrison  at  Strasburg  the  same  regiment  in 
which  General  Bonaparte  so  brilliantly  com- 
menced his  career  at  the  siege  of  Toulon,  and 
which  had  received  him  with  so  much  enthu- 
siasm at  Grenoble,  on  his  return  from  Elba, 
and  had  escorted  him  in  his  triumphant  march 
to  Paris.  Colonel  Vaudrey,  a  very  enthusi- 
astic and  eloquent  young  man  who  had  great 
influence  over  his  troops,  was  in  command  of 
the  regiment.  It  was  not  doubted  that  these 
troops  would  with  enthusiasm  rally  around  an 
heir  of  the  Empire.  In  preparation  for  the 
movement,  Louis  Napoleon  held  several  inter- 
views with  Colonel  Vaudrey  at  Baden  In  one 
of  these  interviews  the  prince  said  to  the  colo- 
nel: 

"  The  days  of  prejudice  are  past.  The  pres- 
tige of  divine  right  has  vanished  from  France 
with  the  old  institutions.  A  new  era  has  com- 
menced. Henceforth  the  people  are  called  to 
the  free  development  of  their  faculties.  But 
in  this  general  impulse,  impressed  by  modern 


1836.]     LIFE  AT   ARENEMBERG.         317 


Remarks  of  Louis  Napoleon. 


civilization,  what  can  regulate  the  movement? 
What  government  will  be  sufficiently  strong 
to  assure  to  the  country  the  enjoyment  of  pub- 
lic liberty  without  agitations,  without  disorders  ? 
It  is  necessary  for  a  free  people  that  they  should 
have  a  government  of  immense  moral  force. 
And  this  moral  force,  where  can  it  be  found, 
if  not  in  the  right  and  the  will  of  all  ?  So  long 
as  a  general  vote  has  not  sanctioned  a  govern- 
ment, no  matter  what  that  government  may  be, 
it  is  not  built  upon  a  solid  foundation.  Adverse 
factions  will  constantly  agitate  society ;  while 
institutions  ratified  by  the  voice  of  the  nation 
will  lead  to  the  abolition  of  parties  and  will  an- 
nihilate individual  resistances. 

"  A  revolution  is  neither  legitimate  nor  ex- 
cusable except  when  it  is  made  in  the  interests 
of  the  majority  of  the  nation.  One  may  be 
sure  that  this  is  the  motive  which  influences 
him,  when  he  makes  use  of  moral  influences 
only  to  attain  his  ends.  If  the  Government 
have  committed  so  many  faults  as  to  render  a 
revolution  desirable  for  the  nation,  if  the  Na- 
poleonic cause  have  left  sufficiently  deep  re- 
membrances in  French  hearts,  it  will  be  enough 
for  me  merely  to  present  myself  before  the 
soldiers  and  the  people,  recalling  to  their  mem- 


318  HOBTENSE.  [1836. 


Peril  of  the  movements. 


ory  their  recent  griefs  and  past  glory,  for  them 
to  flock  around  my  standard. 

"  If  I  succeed  in  winning  over  a  regiment,  if 
the  soldiers  to  whom  I  am  unknown  are  roused 
by  the  sight  of  the  imperial  eagle,  then  all  the 
chances  will  be  mine.  My  cause  will  be  mor- 
ally  gained,  even  if  secondary  obstacles  rise  to 
prevent  its  success.  It  is  my  aim  to  present  a 
popular  flag — the  most  popular,  the  most  glori- 
ous of  all, — which  shall  serve  as  a  rallying- 
point  for  the  generous  and  the  patriotic  of  all 
parties ;  to  restore  to  France  her  dignity  with- 
out universal  war,  her  liberty  without  license, 
her  stability  without  despotism.  To  arrive  at 
such  a  result,  what  must  be  done?  One  must 
receive  from  the  people  alone  all  his  power 
and  all  his  rights." 

The  man  who  should  undertake  in  this  way 
to  overthrow  an  established  government,  must 
of  course  peril  his  life.  If  unsuccessful,  he 
could  anticipate  no  mercy.  Hortense  perceived 
with  anxiety  that  the  mind  of  her  son  was  in» 
tensely  absorbed  in  thoughts  which  he  did  not 
reveal  to  her.  On  the  morning  of  the  25th  of 
October,  1836,  Louis  Napoleon  bade  adieu  to 
his  mother,  and  left  Arenemberg  in  his  private 
carriage,  ostensibly  to  visit  friends  at  Baden 


1836.]    LIFE  AT  ABENEMBERG.        319 


Letter  to  Hortcnse. 


A  few  days  after,  Hortense  was  plunged  into 
the  deepest  distress  by  the  cjception  of  the  fol- 
lowing letter : 

"  MY  DEAR  MOTHER, — You  must  have  been 
very  anxious  in  receiving  no  tidings  from  me — 
you  who  believed  me  to  be  with  my  cousin. 
But  your  inquietude  will  be  redoubled  when 
you  learn  that  I  made  an  attempt  at  Strasburg, 
which  has  failed.  I  am  in  prison,  with  several 
other  officers.  It  is  for  them  only  that  I  suf- 
fer. As  for  myself,  in  commencing  such  an  en- 
terprise, I  was  prepared  for  every  thing.  Do 
not  weep,  mother.  I  am  the  victim  of  a  noble 
cause,  of  a  cause  entirely  French.  Hereafter 
justice  will  be  rendered  me  and  I  shall  be 
commiserated. 

"  Yesterday  morning  I  presented  myself  be- 
fore the  Fourth  Artillery,  and  was  received  with 
cries  of  Vive  VEmpereur  !  For  a  time  all  went 
well.  The  Forty -sixth  resisted.  We  were  cap- 
tured in  the  court-yard  of  their  barracks.  Hap- 
pily no  French  blood  was  shed.  This  consoles 
me  in  my  calamity.  Courage,  my  mother !  I 
shall  know  how  to  support,  even  to  the  end, 
the  honor  of  the  name  I  bear.  Adieu !  Do 
not  uselessly  mourn  my  lot.  Life  is  but  a  lit- 


320  HOBTENSE.  [1836. 

Capture  of  Louis  Napoleon. 

tie  thing.  Honor  and  France  are  every  thing 
to  me.  I  embrace  rou  with  my  whole  heart. 
Your  tender  and  ret  ectful  son, 

"  Louis  IN  APOLEON  BONAPARTE. 

"  Strasburg,  November  1,  1836." 

Hortense  immediately  hastened  to  France,  to 
'do  whatever  a  mother's  love  and  anguish  could 
accomplish  for  the  release  of  her  son,  though 
in  crossing  the  frontiers  she  knew  that  she  ex- 
posed herself  to  the  penalty  of  death.  Appre- 
hensive lest  her  presence  in  Paris  might  irritate 
the  Government,  she  stopped  at  Viry,  at  the 
house  of  the  Duchess  de  Eaguse.  Madame 
Re'camier  repaired  at  once  to  Viry  to  see  Hor- 
tense, where  she  found  her  in  great  agony. 
Soon,  however,  a  mother's  fears  were  partially 
relieved,  as  the  Government  of  Louis  Philippe, 
knowing  the  universal  enthusiasm  with  which 
the  Emperor  and  the  Empire  were  regarded,  did 
not  dare  to  bring  the  young  prince  to  trial,  or 
even  to  allow  it  to  be  known  that  he  was  upon 
the  soil  of  France.  With  the  utmost  precipi- 
tation they  secretly  hurried  their  prisoner 
through  France,  by  day  and  by  night,  to  the 
seaboard,  where  he  was  placed  on  board  a 
frigate,  whose  captain  had  sealed  instructions 


1836.J     LIFE  AT  ARENEMBERG.        321 


Anguish  of  Hortense. 


respecting  the  destination  of  his  voyage,  which 
he  was  not  to  open  until  he  had  been  several 
days  at  sea. 

Poor  Hortense,  utterly  desolate  and  heart- 
broken, returned  to  Arenemberg.  She  knew 
that  the  life  of  her  son  had  been  spared,  and 
that  he  was  to  be  transported  to  some  distant 
land.  But  she  knew  not  where  he  would  be 
sent,  or  what  would  be  his  destiny  there.  It  is 
however  probable  that  ere  long  she  learned, 
through  her  numerous  friends,  what  were  the 
designs  of  the  Government  respecting  him. 
She  however  never  saw  her  son  again  until, 
upon  a  dying  bed,  she  gave  him  her  last  em- 
brace and  blessing.  The  hurried  journey,  arid 
the  terrible  anxiety  caused  by  the  arrest  and 
peril  of  her  son,  inflicted  a  blow  upon  Hortense 
from  which  she  never  recovered.  Weary 
months  passed  away  in  the  solitude  of  Aren- 
emberg, until  at  last  the  heart-stricken  mother 
received  a  package  of  letters  from  the  exile 
As  the  narrative  contained  in  these  letters 
throws  very  interesting  light  upon  the  char- 
acter of  the  mother  as  well  as  of  the  son,  W3 
Bhall  insert  it  in  the  next  chapter. 
3—21 


322  HORTENSE.  [1836. 


The  attempt  at  Strasbnrg. 


CHAPTER  X. 

LETTER  FROM  Louis  NAPOLEON  TO 
HIS  MOTHER. 

MOTHEE,— To  give  you  a  detail- 
ed  recital  of  my  misfortunes  is  to  re« 
new  your  griefs  and  mine.  And  still  it  is  a 
consolation,  both  for  you  and  for  me,  that  you 
should  be  informed  of  all  the  impressions 
which  I  have  experienced,  and  of  all  the  emo- 
tions which  have  agitated  me  since  the  end  of 
October.  You  know  what  was  the  pretext 
which  I  gave  when  I  left  Arenemberg.  But 
you  do  not  know  what  was  then  passing  in 
my  heart.  Strong  in  my  conviction  which  led 
me  to  look  upon  the  Napoleonic  cause  as  the 
only  national  cause  in  France,  as  the  only  civ- 
ilizing cause  in  Europe,  proud  of  the  nobility 
and  purity  of  my  intentions,  I  was  fully  re- 
solved  to  raise  the  imperial  eagle,  or  to  fall 
the  victim  of  my  political  faith. 

"I  left,  taking  in   my  carriage  the  same 
route  which  I  had  followed  three  months  be- 


1836.]     LETTER  TO  HORTENSE.         823 


The  attempt  at  Strasbnrg. 


fore  when  going  from  Urkirch  to  Baden.  Ev- 
ery thing  was  the  same  around  me.  But  what 
a  difference  in  the  impressions  with  which  I 
was  animated  I  I  was  then  cheerful  and  se- 
rene as  the  unclouded  day.  But  now,  sad  and 
thoughtful,  my  spirit  had  taken  the  hue  of  the 
air,  gloomy  and  chill,  which  surrounded  me. 
1  may  be  asked,  what  could  have  induced  me 
to  abandon  a  happy  existence,  to  encounter  all 
the  risks  of  a  hazardous  enterprise.  I  reply 
that  a  secret  voice  constrained  me ;  and  that 
nothing  in  the  world  could  have  induced  me 
to  postpone  to  another  period  an  attempt  which 
seemed  to  me  to  present  so  many  chances  of 
success. 

"And  the  most  painful  thought  for  me  at 
this  moment  is — now  that  reality  has  come  to 
take  the  place  of  suppositions,  and  that,  instead 
of  imagining,  I  have  seen — that  I  am  firm  in  the 
belief  that  if  I  had  followed  the  plan  which  I 
had  marked  out  for  myself,  instead  of  being 
now  under  the  Equator,  I  should  be  in  my 
own  country.  Of  what  importance  to  me  are 
those  vulgar  ones  which  call  me  insensate  be- 
cause I  have  not  .succeeded,  and  which  would 
have  exaggerated  my  merit  had  I  triumphed  ? 
I  take  upon  myself  all  the  responsibility  of  the 


824  HORTENSE.  [1836. 

The  attempt  at  Strasburg. 

movement,  for  I  have  acted  from  conviction, 
and  not  from  the  influence  of  others.  Alas ! 
if  I  were  the  only  victim  I  should  have  noth- 
ing to  deplore.  I  have  found  in  my  friends 
boundless  devotion,  and  I  have  no  reproaches 
to  make  against  any  one  whatever. 

"  On  the  27th  I  arrived  at  Lahr,  a  small 
town  of  the  Grand-duchy  of  Baden,  where  I 
awaited  intelligence.  Near  that  place  the  axle 
of  my  carriage  broke,  and  I  was  compelled  to 
remain  there  for  a  day.  On  the  morning  of 
the  28th  I  left  Lahr,  and,  retracing  my  steps, 
passed  through  Fribourg,  Neubrisach,  and  Col- 
mar,  and  arrived,  at  eleven  o'clock  in  the  even- 
ing, at  Strasburg  without  the  least  embarrass- 
ment My  carriage  was  taken  to  the  Hotel  de 
la  Fleur,  while  I  went  to  lodge  in  a  small 
chamber,  which  had  been  engaged  for  me,  in 
the  Rut  de  la  Fontaine. 

"  There  I  saw,  on  the  29th,  Colonel  Vaudrey, 
and  submitted  to  him  the  plan  of  operations 
which  I  had  drawn  up  But  the  colonel,  whose 
noble  and  generous  sentiments  merited  a  better 
fate,  said  to  me: 

"  '  There  is  no  occasion  here  for  a  conflict 
with  arms.  Your  cause  is  too  French  and  too 
pure  to  be  soiled  in  shedding  French  blood. 


1836.]     LETTER  TO  HORTENSE.         825 


The  attempt  at  Strasburg. 


There  is  but  one  mode  of  procedure  which  is 
worthy  of  you,  because  it  will  avoid  all  col- 
lision. When  you  are  at  the  head  of  my  regi- 
ment we  will  march  together  to  General  Voi- 
rol's.*  An  old  soldier  will  not  resist  the  sight 
of  you  and  of  the  imperial  eagle  when  he 
knows  that  the  garrison  follows  you.' 

"  I  approved  his  reasons,  and  all  things  were 
arranged  for  the  next  morning.  A  house  had 
been  engaged  in  a  street  in  the  neighborhood 
of  the  quarter  of  Austerlitz,  whence  we  all 
were  to  proceed  to  those  barracks  as  soon  as 
the  regiment  of  artillery  was  assembled. 

"  Upon  the  29th,  at  eleven  o'clock  in  the 
evening,  one  of  my  friends  came  to  seek  me  at 
the  Rue  de  la  Fontaine,  to  conduct  me  to  the 
general  rendezvous.  We  traversed  together 
the  whole  city.  A  bright  moon  illuminated 
the  streets.  I  regarded  the  fine  weather  as  a 
favorable  omen  for  the  next  day.  I  examined 
with  care  the  places  through  which  I  passed. 
The  silence  which  reigned  made  an  impression 
upon  me.  By  what  would  that  calm  be  replaced 
to-morrow ! 

"  '  Nevertheless,'  said  1  to  my  companion, 
'there  will  be  no  disorder  if  I  succeed.  It  is 

*  The  commanding  officer  of  the  garrison. 


326  HORTENSE.  [1836 


The  attempt  at  Strasburg. 


especially  to  avoid  the  troubles  which  frequent- 
ly accompany  popular  movements  that  I  have 
wished  to  make  the  revolution  by  means  oi 
the  army.  But,'  I  added,  '  what  confidence, 
what  profound  conviction  must  we  have  of  the 
nobleness  of  our  cause,  to  encounter  not  mere- 
ly the  dangers  which  we  are  about  to  meet, 
but  that  public  opinion  which  will  load  us 
with  reproaches  and  overwhelm  us  if  we  do 
not  succeed !  And  still,  I  call  God  to  witness 
that  it  is  not  to  satisfy  a  personal  ambition,  but 
because  I  believe  that  I  have  a  mission  to  ful- 
fill, that  I  risk  that  which  is  more  dear  to  me 
than  life,  the  esteem  of  my  fellow-citizens.' 

"Having  arrived  at  the  house  in  fozRue  des 
Orphelins,  I  found  my  friends  assembled  in  two 
apartments  on  the  ground  floor.  I  thanked 
them  for  the  devotion  which  they  manifested 
for  my  cause,  and  said  to  them  that  from  that 
hour  we  would  share  good  and  bad  fortune 
together.  One  of  the  officers  had  an  eagle.  It 
was  that  which  had  belonged  to  the  seventh 
regiment  of  the  line.  *  The  eagle  of  Labe'- 
doy&re,'*  one  exclaimed,  and  each  one  of  us 

*  Colonel  LabeMoyere  was  u  young  man  of  fine  figure  and 
elegant  manners,  descended  from  a  respectable  family,  and 
whose  heart  ever  throbbed  warmly  in  remembrance  of  the 
glories  of  the  Empire.  Upon  the  abdication  of  Napoleon 


1836.]     LETTEB  TO  HORTENSE.          321 


The  attempt  at  Strasburg. 


pressed  it  to  his  heart  with  lively  emotion. 
All  the  officers  were  in  full  uniform.  I  had 
put  on  the  uniform  of  the  artillery  and  the  hat 
of  a  major-general. 

"  The  night  seemed  to  us  very  long.  I 
spent  it  in  writing  my  proclamations,  which  I 
had  not  been  willing  to  have  printed  in  ad- 
vance for  fear  of  some  indiscretion.  It  was 
decided  that  we  should  remain  in  that  house 
until  the  colonel  should  notify  me  to  proceed 
to  the  barracks.  We  counted  the  hours,  the 
minutes,  the  seconds.  Six  o'clock  in  the  morn- 
ing was  the  moment  indicated. 

"  How  difficult  it  is  to  express  what  one 
experiences  under  such  circumstances.  In  a 

apd  his  retirement  to  Elba,  Labedoyere  was  in  command  of 
the  seventh  regiment  of  the  line,  stationed  at  Grenoble.  He 
fraternized  with  his  troops  in  the  enthusiasm  with  which  one 
and  all  were  swept  away  at  the  sight  of  the  returning  Empe- 
ror. Drawing  a  silver  eagle  from  his  pocket,  he  placed  it 
upon  the  flag-staff  and  embraced  it  in  the  presence  of  all  his 
soldiers,  who,  in  a  state  of  the  wildest  excitement,  with  shouts 
of  joy,  gathered  around  Napoleon,  crying  Vive  I'Empereur! 

After  Waterloo  and  the  exile  to  St.  Helena,  Labedoyere 
was  arrested,  tried,  and  shot.  It  is  said  that  the  judges  shed 
tears  when  they  condemned  the  noble  young  man  to  death. 
His  young  wife  threw  herself  at  the  feet  of  Louis  XVIII., 
and,  frantic  with  grief,  cried  out,  "Pardon,  sire,  pardon!" 
Louis  replied,  "My  duty  as  a  king  ties  my  hands.  I  can 
only  pray  for  the  soul  of  him  whom  justice  has  condemned." 
"—Abbott's  Life  of  Napoleon,  vol.  ii.  p.  110. 


328  HORTENSE.  [183ft. 

The  attempt  at  Strasbnrg. 

second  one  lives  more  than  in  ten  years;  fo* 
to  live  is  to  make  use  of  our  organs,  our  senses, 
our  faculties  —  of  all  the  parts  of  ourselves 
which  impart  the  sentiment  of  our  existence. 
And  in  these  critical  moments  our  faculties, 
our  organs,  our  senses,  exalted  to  the  highest 
degree,  are  concentrated  on  one  single  point. 
It  is  the  hour  which  is  to  decide  our  entire 
destiny.  One  is  strong  when  he  can  say  to 
himself,  'To-morrow  I  shall  be  the  liberator  of 
my  country,  or  I  shall  be  dead.'  One  is  gt-eat- 
ly  to  be  pitied  when  circumstances  are  such 
that  he  can  neither  be  one  nor  the  other. 

"  Notwithstanding  my  precautions,  the  noise 
which  a  certain  number  of  persons  meeting  to 
gether  can  not  help  making,  awoke  the  occu- 
pants of  the  first  story.  We  heard  them  rise 
and  open  their  windows.  It  was  five  o'clock. 
We  redoubled  our  precautions,  and  they  went 
to  sleep  again. 

"  At  last  the  clock  struck  six.  Never  be- 
fore did  the  sound  of  a  clock  vibrate  so  -vio- 
lently in  my  heart.  But  a  moment  after  the 
bugle  from  the  quarter  of  Austerlitz  came  to 
accelerate  its  throbbings.  The  great  moment 
was  approaching.  A  very  considerable  tumult 
was  heard  in  the  street  Soldiers  passed  shout- 


1836.J     LETTER  TO  HORTENSE.         32$ 


The  attempt  at  Strusburg. 


ing;  horsemen  rode  at  full  gallop  by  our  win- 
dows. I  sent  an  officer  to  ascertain  the  cause 
of  the  tumult.  Had  the  chief  officer  of  the 
garrison  been  informed  of  our  projects?  Had 
we  been  discovered  ?  My  messenger  soon  re 
turned  to  say  to  me  that  the  noise  came  from 
some  soldiers  whom  the  colonel  had  sent  to 
fetch  their  horses,  which  were  outside  the  quar- 
ter. 

"  A  few  more  minutes  passed,  and  I  was  in- 
formed that  the  colonel  was  waiting  for  me. 
Full  of  hope,  I  hastened  into  the  street.  M. 
Parguin,*  in  the  uniform  of  a  brigadier-gen- 
eral, and  a  commander  of  battalion,  carrying 
the  eagle  in  his  hand,  are  by  my  side.  About 
a  dozen  officers  follow  me. 

"The  distance  was  short;  it  was  soon  trav- 
ersed. The  regiment  was  drawn  up  in  line  of 
battle  in  the  barrack -yard,  inside  of  the  rails. 
Upon  the  grass  forty  of  the  horse-artillery  were 
stationed. 

"My  mother,  judge  of  the  happiness  I  ex- 

*  M.  Parguin  was  the  gentleman  to  whom  we  have  before 
*lluded,  who  was  a  highly  esteemed  young  officer  under  Na- 
poleon I.,  and  who,  having  married  Mademoiselle  Cotelet, 
the  reader  of  Queen  Hortense,  had  purchased  the  estate  of 
Wolfberg,  in  the  vicinity  ot  Arenemberg,  and  became  one  of 
the  most  intimate  friends  of  Prince  Louis  Napoleon. 


830  HORTENSE.  [1836. 

The  attempt  at  Strasburg. 

perienced  at  that  moment  After  twenty-years 
of  exile,  I  touched  again  the  sacred  soil  of  my 
country.  1  found  myself  with  Frenchmen 
whom  the  recollection  of  the  Empire  was  again 
to  electrify. 

"Colonel  Vaudrey  was  alone  in  the  middle 
of  the  yard.  I  directed  my  steps  towards  him. 
Immediately  the  colonel,  whose  noble  counte- 
nance and  fine  figure  had  at  that  moment  some- 
thing of  the  sublime,  drew  his  sword  and  ex- 
claimed: 

"'Soldiers  of  the  Fourth  Regiment  of  Artil- 
lery !  A  great  revolution  is  being  accomplish- 
ed at  this  moment.  You  see  here  before  you 
the  nephew  of  the  Emperor  Napoleon.  He 
comes  to  reconquer  the  rights  of  the  people. 
The  people  and  the  army  can  rely  upon  him. 
It  is  around  him  that  all  should  rally  who  love 
the  glory  and  the  liberty  of  France.  Soldiers ! 
you  must  feel,  as  does  your  chief,  all  the  grand- 
eur of  the  enterprise  you  are  about  to  under- 
take, all  the  sacredness  of  the  cause  you  are 
about  to  defend.  Soldiers!  can  the  nephew 
of  the  Emperor  rely  upon  you?' 

"His  voice  was  instantly  drowned  by  unani- 
mous cries  of  Vive  Napoleon!  Vive TEmpereur! 
I  then  addressed  them  in  the  following  words: 


1836.]      LETTER  TO  HORTENSE         881 


The  attempt  at  Strasburg. 


" '  ."Resolved  to  conquer  or  to  die  for  the  cause 
of  the  French  people,  it  is  to  you  first  that  I 
wish  to  present  myself,  because  between  you 
and  me  exist  grand  recollections.  It  is  in  your 
regiment  that- the  Emperor,  my  uncle,  served 
as  captain.  It  is  with  you  that  he  made  his 
name  famous  at  the  siege  of  Toulon,  and  it  is 
your  brave  regiment  again  which  opened  to 
him  the  gates  of  Grenoble,  on  his  return  from 
the  isle  of  Elba.  Soldiers !  new  destinies  are 
reserved  for  you.  To  you  belongs  the  glory 
of  commencing  a  great  enterprise;  to  you  the 
honor  of  first  saluting  the  eagle  of  Austerlitz 
and  of  Wagram.' 

"  I  then  seized  the  eagle-surmounted  banner, 
which  one  of  my  officers,  M.  de  Carelles,  bore, 
and  presenting  it  to  them,  said, 

"  '  Soldiers !  behold  the  symbol  of  the  glory 
of  France.  During  fifteen  years  it  conducted 
our  fathers  to  victory.  It  has  glittered  upon 
all  the  fields  of  battle.  It  has  traversed  all  the 
capitals  of  Europe.  Soldiers!  will  you  not 
rally  around  this  noble  standard  which  I  con- 
fide to  your  honor  and  to  your  courage  ?  Will 
you  not  march  with  me  against  the  traitors 
and  the  oppressors  of  our  country  to  the  cry, 
Vive  la  France  1  Vive  la  liberte  !  T 


832  HORTENSE.  [1836. 

The  attempt  at  Strasburg. 

"A  thousand  affirmative  cries  responded  to 
me.  We  then  commenced  our  march,  music 
*i  front.  Joy  and  hope  beamed  from  every 
countenance.  The  plan  was,  to  hasten  to  the 
house  of  the  general,  and  to  present  to  him, 
not  a  dagger  at  his  throat,  but  the  eagle  before 
his  eyes.  It  was  necessary,  in  order  to  reach 
his  house,  to  traverse  the  whole  city.  While 
on  the  way,  I  had  to  send  an  officer  with  a 
guard  to  publish  my  proclamations;  another 
to  the  prefect,  to  arrest  him.  In  short,  six  re- 
ceived special  missions,  so  that  when  I  arrived 
at  the  general's,  I  had  voluntarily  parted  with 
a  considerable  portion  of  my  forces. 

"But  had  I  then  necessity  to  surround  myself 
with  so  many  soldiers  ?  could  I  not  rely  upon 
the  participation  of  the  people?  and,  in  fine, 
whatever  may  be  said,  along  the  whole  route 
which  I  traversed  I  received  unequivocal  signs 
of  the  sympathy  of  the  population.  I  had  actu- 
ally to  struggle  against  the  vehemence  of  the 
marks  of  interest  which  were  lavished  upon 
me ;  and  the  variety  of  cries  which  greeted  me 
showed  that  there  was  no  party  which  did  not 
sympathize  with  my  feelings. 

"  Having  arrived  at  the  court  of  the  hotel  of 
the  general,  I  ascended  the  stairs,  followed  by 


1836.]     LETTER  TO  HORTENSE.          333 


The  attempt  at  Strasburg. 


Messieurs  Vaudrey,  Parguin,  and  two  officers. 
The  general  was  not  yet  dressed.  I  said  to 
him, 

'"General,  I  come  to  you  as  a  friend.  I 
should  be  sorry  to  raise  our  old  tri-color  ban- 
ner without  the  aid  of  a  brave  soldier  like  you. 
The  garrison  is  in  my  favor.  Decide  and  fol- 
low me.' 

"  The  eagle  was  presented  to  him.  He  re- 
jected it,  saying,  '  Prince,  they  have  deceived 
you.  The  army  knows  its  duties,  as  I  will 
prove  to  you  immediately.' 

"  I  then  departed,  and  gave  orders  to  leave 
a  file  of  men  to  guard  him.  The  general  after- 
wards presented  himself  to  his  soldiers,  to  in- 
duce them  to  return  to  obedience.  The  artil- 
lerymen, under  the  orders  of  M.  Parguin,  dis- 
regarded his  authority,  and  replied  to  him  only 
by  reiterated  cries  of  Vive  TEmpereur.  Subse- 
quently the  general  succeeded  in  escaping  from 
his  hotel  by  an  unguarded  door. 

"  When  I  left  the  hotel  of  the  general,  I  was 
greeted  with  the  same  acclamations  of  Vive 
VEmp&reur.  But  this  first  check  had  already 
seriously  affected  me.  I  was  not  prepared  for 
it,  convinced  as  I  had  been  that  the  sight  alone 
of  the  eagle  would  recall  to  the  general  the  old 


334:  HORTENSE.  [1836. 

The  march  through  the  street*. 

souvenirs  of  glory,  and  would  lead  him  to  join 
us. 

"We  resumed  our  march.  Leaving  the 
main  street,  we  entered  the  barracks  of  Finke- 
matt,  by  the  lane  which  leads  there  through  the 
Faubourg  of  Pierre.  This  barrack  is  a  large 
building,  erected  in  a  place  with  no  outlet  but 
the  entrance.  The  ground  in  front  is  too  nar- 
now  for  a  regiment  to  be  drawn  up  in  line  of 
battle.  In  seeing  myself  thus  hedged  in  be- 
tween the  ramparts  and  the  barracks,  I  per- 
ceived that  the  plan  agreed  upon  had  not  been 
followed  out.  Upon  our  arrival,  the  soldiers 
thronged  around  us.  I  harangued  them. 
Most  of  them  went  to  get  their  arms,  and  re- 
turned to  rally  around  me,  testifying  their  sym- 
pathy for  me  by  their  acclamations.  ' 

"  However,  seeing  them  manifest  a  sudden 
hesitation,  caused  by  the  reports  circulated  by 
some  officers  among  them  who  endeavored  to 
inspire  them  with  doubts  of  my  identity,  and 
as  we  were  also  losing  precious  time  in  an  un- 
favorable position,  instead  of  hastening  to  the 
other  regiments  who  expected  us,  I  requested 
the  colonel  to  depart.  lie  urged  me  to  remain 
a  little  longer.  I  complied  with  his  advice. 

"  Some  infantry  officers  arrived,  ordered  the 


THE    ARREST- 


1836.]     LETTER  TO  HORTENSE.         337 


Peril  of  the  prince. 


gates  to  be  closed,  and  strongly  reprimanded 
their  soldiers.  The  soldiers  hesitated.  I  or- 
dered the  arrest  of  the  officers.  Their  soldiers 
rescued  them.  Then  all  was  confusion.  The 
space  was  so  contracted  that  each  one  was  lost 
in  the  crowd.  The  people,  who  had  climbed 
upon  the  wall,  threw  stones  at  the  infantry. 
The  cannoneers  wished  to  use  their  arms,  but 
we  prevented  it.  We  saw  clearly  that  it  would 
cause  the  death  of  very  many.  I  saw  the  colo- 
nel by  turns  arrested  by  the  infantry,  and  res- 
cued by  his  soldiers.  I  was  myself  upon  the 
point  of  being  slain  by  a  multitude  of  men 
who,  recognizing  me,  crossed  their  bayonets 
upon  me.  I  parried  their  thrusts  with  my 
sabre,  trying  at  the  same  time  to  calm  them, 
when  the  cannoneers  -rescued  me  from  their 
guns,  and  placed  me  in  the  middle  of  them- 
selves. 

"  I  then  pressed  forward,  with  somfe  subal- 
tern officers,  towards  the  mounted  artillery 
men,  to  seize  a  horse.  All  the  infantry  fol- 
lowed me.  I  found  myself  hemmed  in  be- 
tween the  horses  and  the  wall,  without  power 
to  move.  Then  the  soldiers,  arriving  from  all 
parts,  seized  me  and  conducted  me  to  the 
guard -house.  On  entering  I  found  M.  Par- 
3—22 


338  HORTENSE.  [1836. 

Utter  failure  of  the  enterprise. 

guin.  I  extended  my  hand  to  him.  He  said 
to  me,  speaking  in  tones  calm  and  resigned, 
'  Prince,  we  shall  be  shot,  but  it  will  be  in  a 
good  cause.' 

"'Yes,'  I  replied,  *  we  have  fallen  in  a  grand 
and  a  glorious  enterprise.' 

"  Soon  after  General  Voirol  arrived.  He 
said  to  me,  upon  entering, 

"  '  Prince,  you  have  found  but  one  traitor  in 
the  French  army.' 

" '  Say  rather,  general,'  I  replied, '  that  I  have 
found  one  Labedoy&re.'  Some  carriages  were 
soon  brought,  and  we  were  transported  to  the 
new  prison. 

"  Behold  me,  then,  between  four  walls,  with 
barred  windows,  in  the  abode  of  criminals. 
Ah  1  those  who  know  what  it  is  to  pass  in  an 
instant  from  the  excess  of  happiness,  caused 
by  the  noblest  illusions,  to  the  excess  of  mis- 
ery, which  leaves  no  hope,  and  to  pass  over 
this  immense  interval  without  having  one  mo- 
ment to  prepare  for  it,  alone  can  comprehend 
what  was  passing  in  my  heart. 

"  At  the  lodge  we  met  again.  M.  de  Que- 
relles,  pressing  my  hand,  said  to  me  in  a  loud 
voice,  '  Prince,  notwithstanding  our  defeat,  I 
am  still  proud  of  what  we  have  done.'  They 


1836.]     LETTER  TO  HORTENSE.         339 


Examination  of  the  captive. 


subjected  me  to  an  interrogation.  I  was  calm 
and  resigned.  My  part  was  taken.  The  fol- 
lowing questions  were  proposed  to  me : 

" '  What  has  induced  you  to  act  as  you  have 
done?' 

"  '  My  political  opinions,'  I  replied,  *  and  my 
desire  to  return  to  my  country,  from  which  a 
foreign  invasion  has  exiled  me.  In  1830,  I 
demanded  to  be  treated  as  a  simple  citizen. 
They  treated  me  as  a  pretender.  Well,  I  have 
acted  as  a  pretender.' 

"  '  Did  you  wish,'  it  was  asked,  '  to  establish 
a  military  government  ?' 

"  '  I  wished,'  was  my  reply,  '  to  establish  a 
government  based  on  popular  election.' 

" '  What  would  you  have  done  if  success- 
ful?' 

" '  I  would  have  assembled  a  national  Con- 
gress.' 

"I  declared  then,  that  I  alone  having  or- 
ganized every  thing,  that  I  alone  having  in- 
duced others  to  join  me,  the  whole  responsi- 
bility should  fall  upon  my  head  alone.  Re- 
conducted  to  prison,  I  threw  myself  upon  a 
bed  which  had  been  prepared  for  me,  and,  not- 
withstanding my  torments,  sleep,  which  soothes 
Buffering,  in  giving  repose  to  the  anguish  of 


840  HORTENSE.  [1836. 

Anxiety  of  Louis  Napoleon  for  his  companion*. 

the  soul,  came  to  calm  my  senses.  Eeposo 
does  not  fly  from  the  couch  of  the  unfortunate. 
It  only  avoids  those  who  are  consumed  by  re* 
morse.  But  how  frightful  was  my  awaking, 
I  thought  that  I  had  had  a  dreadful  nightmare, 
The  fate  of  the  persons  who  were  compromised 
caused  me  the  greatest  grief  and  anxiety.  I 
wrote  to  General  Voirol,  to  say  to  him  that  his 
honor  obliged  him  to  interest  himself  in  behalf 
of  Colonel  Vaudrey ;  for  it  was,  perhaps,  the  at- 
tachment of  the  colonel  for  him,  and  the  regard 
with  which  he  had  treated  him,  which  were 
the  causes  of  the  failure  of  my  enterprise.  I 
closed  in  beseeching  him  that  all  the  rigor  of 
the  law  might  fall  upon  me,  saying  that  I  was 
the  most  guilty,  and  the  only  one  to  be  feared. 
"  The  general  came  to  see  me,  and  was  very 
affectionate.  He  said,  upon  entering,  '  Prince, 
when  I  was  your  prisoner,  I  could  find  no 
words  sufficiently  severe  to  say  to  you.  Now 
that  you  are  mine,  I  have  only  words  of  con- 
solation to  offer.'  Colonel  Vaudrey  and  I  were 
conducted  to  the  citadel,  where  I,  at  least,  was 
much  more  comfortable  than  in  prison.  But 
the  civil  power  claimed  us,  and  at  the  end  of 
twenty-four  hours  we  were  conveyed  back  to 
our  former  abode. 


1886.]     LETTER  TO  HORTENSE.         341 


Severe  treatment. 


"  The  jailer  and  the  director  of  the  prison  at 
Strasburg  did  their  duty ;  but  they  endeavor- 
ed to  alleviate  as  much  as  posssible  my  situa- 
tion, while  a  certain  M.  Lebel,  who  had  been 
sent  from  Paris,  wishing  to  show  his  authority, 
prevented  me  from  opening  my  windows  to 
breathe  the  air,  took  from  me  my  watch,  which 
he  only  restored  to  me  at  the  moment  of  my 
departure,  and,  in  fine,  even  ordered  blinds  to 
intercept  the  light. 

"  On  the  evening  of  the  9th  I  was  told  that 
I  was  to  be  transferred  to  another  prison.  I 
went  out  and  met  the  general  and  the  prefect, 
who  took  me  away  in  their  carriage  without 
informing  me  where  I  was  to  be  conducted. 
I  insisted  that  I  should  be  left  with  my  com- 
panions in  misfortune.  But  the  Government 
had  decided  otherwise.  Upon  arriving  at  the 
hotel  of  the  prefecture,  I  found  two  post-chaises. 
I  was  ordered  into  one  with  M.  Cuynat,  com- 
mander of  the  gendarmerie  of  the  Seine,  and 
Lieutenant  Thiboutot  In  the  other  there  were 
four  sub-ofricers. 

"When  I  perceived  that  I  was  to  leave 
Strasburg,  and  that  it  was  my  lot  to  be  sep- 
arated from  the  other  accused,  I  experienced 
anguish  difficult  to  be  described.  Behold  me, 


842  HORTENSE.  [1836. 


Sympathy  of  the  guard. 


then,  forced  to  abandon  the  men  who  had  de- 
voted themselves  to  me.  Behold  me  deprived 
of  the  means  of  making  known  in  my  defense 
my  views  and  my  intentions.  Behold  me  re- 
ceiving a  so-called  favor  from  him  upon  whom 
I  had  wished  to  inflict  the  greatest  evil.  I 
vented  my  sorrow  in  complaints  and  regrets. 
I  could  only  protest. 

"  The  two  officers  who  conducted  me  were 
two  officers  of  the  Empire,  intimate  friends  of 
M.  Parguin.  Thus  they  treated  me  with  the 
kindest  attentions.  I  could  have  thought  my- 
self travelling  with  friends.  Upon  the  lltb, 
at  two  o'clock  in  the  morning,  I  arrived  at 
Paris,  at  the  hotel  of  the  Prefecture  of  Police. 
M.  Delessat  was  very  polite  to  me.  He  in- 
formed me  that  you  had  come  to  France  to 
claim  in  my  favor  the  clemency  of  the  king, 
and  that  I  was  to  start  again  in  two  hours  for 
Lorient,  and  that  thence  I  was  to  sail  for  the 
United  States  in  a  French  frigate. 

"I  said  to  the  prefect  that  I  was  in  despair 
in  not  being  permitted  to  share  the  fate  of  my 
companions  in  misfortune ;  that  being  thus 
withdrawn  from  prison  before  undergoing  a 
general  examination  (the  first  had  been  only 
a  summary  one),  I  was  deprived  of  the  meana 


1836.]     LETTER  TO  HORTENSE.         343 


Hurried  through  France. 


of  testifying  to  many  facts  in  favor  of  the  ac- 
cused. But  my  protestations  were  unavailing. 
I  decided  to  write  to  the  king.  And  I  said  to 
him  that,  having  been  cast  into  prison  after 
having  taken  up  arms  against  his  Government, 
I  dreaded  but  one  thing,  and  that  was  his  gen- 
erosity, since  it  would  deprive  me  of  my  sweet- 
est consolation,  the  possibility  of  sharing  the 
fate  of  my  companions  in  misfortune.  I  added 
that  life  itself  was  of  little  value  to  me ;  but 
that  my  gratitude  to  him  would  be  great  if  he 
would  spare  the  lives  of  a  few  old  soldiers,  the 
remains  of  our  ancient  army,  who  had  been  en- 
ticed by  me,  and  seduced  by  glorious  souvenirs. 
"  At  the  same  time  I  wrote  to  M.  Odillon 
Barrot*  the  letter  which  I  send  with  this,  beg- 
ging him  to  take  charge  of  the  defense  of  Colo- 
nel Vaudrey.  At  four  o'clock  I  resumed  my 
journey,  with  the  same  escort,  and  on  the  14th 
we  arrived  at  the  citadel  of  Port  Louis,  near 
Lorient.  I  remained  there  until  the  twenty- 
first  day  of  November,  when  the  frigate  was 
ready  for  sea. 

"  After  having  entreated  M.  Odillon  Barrot 
JD  assume  the  defense  of  the  accused,  and  in 
particular  of  Colonel  Vaudrey,  I  added : 
*  A  distinguished  advocate  in  Paris. 


344  HORTENSE.  [1836. 

Statement  of  Louis  Napoleon. 

"'Monsieur,  notwithstanding  my  desire  to 
remain  with  my  companions  in  misfortune,  and 
to  partake  of  their  lot,  notwithstanding  my  en- 
treaties upon  that  subject,  the  king,  in  his 
clemency,  has  ordered  that  I  should  be  conduct 
ed  to  Lorient,  to  pass  thence  to  America.  Sen- 
sible as  I  ought  to  be  of  thb  generosity  of  the 
king,  I  am  profoundly  afflicted  in  leaving  my 
co-accused,  since  I  cherish  the  conviction  that 
could  I  be  present  at  the  bar,  my  depositions 
in  their  favor  would  influence  the  jury,  and  en- 
lighten them  as  to  their  decision.  Deprived  of 
the  consolation  of  being  useful  to  the  men  whom 
I  have  enticed  to  their  loss,  I  am  obliged  to  in- 
trust to  an  advocate  that  which  I  am  unable  to 
say  myself  to  the  jury. 

" '  On  the  part  of  rny  co-accused  there  was 
no  plot.  There  was  only  the  enticement  of  the 
moment.  I  alone  arranged  all.  I  alone  made 
the  necessary  preparations.  I  had  already  seen 
Colonel  Yaudrey  before  the  30th  of  October,  but 
he  had  not  conspired  with  me.  On  the  29th, 
at  eight  o'clock  in  the  evening,  no  person  knew 
but  myself  that  the  movement  was  to  take 
place  the  next  day.  I  did  not  see  Colonel 
Vaudrey  until  after  this.  M.  Parguin  had 
come  to  Strasburg  on  his  own  private  business. 


1836.]      LETTER  TO  HORTENSE.          345 


Remarks  to  Colonel  Vaudrey. 


It  was  not  until  the  evening  of  the  29th,  that  I 
appealed  to  him.  The  other  persons  knew  of 
my  presence  in  France,  but  were  ignorant  of 
the  object  of  my  visit.  It  was  not  until  the 
evening  of  the  29th  that  I  assembled  the  per- 
sons now  accused ;  and  I  did  not  make  them 
acquainted  with  my  intentions  until  that  mo- 
ment. 

"'Colonel  Vaudrey  was  not  present.  The 
officers  of  the  engineers  had  come  to  join  us, 
ignorant  at  first  of  what  was  to  transpire.  Cer- 
tainly, in  the  eyes  of  the  established  Govern- 
ment we  are  all  culpable  of  having  taken  up 
arms  against  it.  But  I  am  the  most  culpable. 
It  is  I  who,  for  a  long  time  meditating  a  revo- 
lution, came  suddenly  to  lure  men  from  an 
honorable  social  position,  to  expose  them  to  the 
hazards  of  a  popular  movement.  Before  the 
laws,  my  companions  are  guilty  of  allowing 
themselves  to  be  enticed.  But  never  were  cir- 
cumstances more  extenuating  in  the  eyes  of  the 
country  than  those  in  their  favor.  When  I 
saw  Colonel  Vaudrey  and  the  other  persons  on 
the  evening  of  the  29th,  I  addressed  them  in 
the  following  language : 

"  ' "  GENTLEMEN, — You  are  aware  of  all  th« 
complaints  of  the  nation  against  the  Govern 


846  HOKTENSE.  [1836. 


Remarks  to  Colonel  Vaadrey. 


menu  But  you  also  know  that  there  is  no 
party  now  existing  which  is  sufficiently  strong 
to  overthrow  it ;  no  one  sufficiently  strong  to 
unite  the  French  of  all  parties,  even  if  it  should 
succeed  in  taking  possession  of  supreme  power. 
This  feebleness  of  the  Government,  as  well  as 
this  feebleness  of  parties,  proceeds  from  the 
fact  that  each  one  represents  only  the  interests 
of  a  single  class  in  society.  Some  rely  upon 
the  clergy  and  nobility  ;  others  upon  the  mid- 
dle-class aristocracy,  and  others  still  upon  the 
lower  classes  alone. 

" ' "  In  this  state  of  things,  there  is  but  a 
single  flag  which  can  rally  all  parties,  because 
it  is  the  banner  of  France,  and  not  that  of  a 
faction  ;  it  is  the  eagle  of  the  Empire.  Under 
this  banner,  which  recalls  so  many  glorious 
memories,  there  is  no  class  excluded.  It  rep- 
resents the  interests  and  the  rights  of  all.  The 
Emperor  Napoleon  held  his  power  from  the 
French  people.  Four  times  his  authority  re 
ceived  the  popular  sanction.  In  1814,  heredi- 
tary, right,  in  the  family  of  the  Emperor,  was 
recognized  by  four  millions  of  votes.  Since 
then  the  people  have  not  been  consulted. 

"  '  "  As  the  eldest  of  the  nephews  of  Napo- 
leon, I  can  then  consider  myself  as  the  repre- 


1836.J     LETTER  TO  HORTENSE.         347 


The  Napoleonic  system. 


eentative  of  popular  election ;  I  will  not  say 
of  the  Empire  because  in  the  lapse  of  twenty 
years  the  ideas  and  wants  of  France  may  have 
changed.  But  a  principle  can  not  be  annulled 
by  facts.  It  can  only  be  annulled  by  anoth- 
er principle.  Now  the  principle  of  popular 
•election  in  1804  can  not  be  annulled  by  the 
twelve  hundred  thousand  foreigners  who  en- 
tered France  in  1815,  nor  by  the  chamber  of 
two  hundred  and  twenty-one  deputies  in  1830. 

"  '  "  The  Napoleon  sj'etem  consists  in  pro- 
moting the  march  of  en  ilization  without  dis- 
order and  without  excess;  in  giving  an  im- 
pulse to  ideas  by  developing  material  inter- 
ests; in  strengthening  power  by  rendering  it 
respectable  ;  in  disciplining  the  masses  accord- 
ing to  their  intellectual  faculties;  in  fine,  in 
uniting  around  the  altar  of  the  country  the 
French  of  all  parties  by  giving  them  honor 
and  glory  as  the  motives  of  action." 

"  '  "  No,"  exclaimed  my  brave  companions 
in  reply,  "  you  shall  not  die  alone.  We  will 
die  with  you,  or  we  will  conquer  together  for 
the  cause  of  the  French  people." 

44 '  You  see  thus,  sir,  that  it  is  I  who  have 
enticed  them,  in  speaking  to  them  of  every 
th'Q  which  could  move  the  hearts  of  French- 


348  HORTENSE.  [1836. 

Louie  Napoleon's  plea  for  his  confederates. 

men.  They  spoke  to  me  of  their  oatha  But 
I  reminded  them  that,  in  1815,  they  had  taken 
the  oath  to  Napoleon  II.  and  his  dynasty. 
"Invasion  alone,"  I  said  to  them,  "released 
you  from  that  oath.  Well,  force  can  re-estab- 
lish that  which  force  alone  has  destroyed."  ' 

"  I  went  even  so  far  as  to  say  to  them  that 
the  death  of  the  king  had  been  spoken  of.  I 
inserted  this,  my  mother,  as  you  will  under- 
stand, in  order  to  be  useful  to  them.  You  see 
how  culpable  I  was  in  the  eyes  of  the  Govern- 
ment. Well,  the  Government  has  been  gener- 
ous to  me.  It  has  comprehended  that  my  po- 
sition of  exile,  that  my  love  for  my  country, 
that  my  relationship  to  the  great  man  were  ex- 
tenuating causes.  Will  the  jury  be  less  con- 
siderate than  the  Government?  Will  it  not 
find  extenuating  causes  far  stronger  in  favor 
of  my  accomplices,  in  the  souvenirs  of  the  Em- 
pire ;  in  the  intimate  relations  of  many  among 
them  to  me;  in  the  enticement  of  the  moment; 
in  the  example  of  Labddoyere ;  in  fine,  in  that 
Sentiment  of  generosity  which  rendered  it  in- 
evitable that,  being  soldiers  of  the  Empire, 
they  could  not  see  the  eagle  without  emotion ; 
they  preferred  to  sacrifice  their  own  lives  rath- 
er than  abandon  the  nephew  of  the  Emperor 


1836.]     LETTER  TO  HORTENSE.         349 


Scenes  at  aea. 


Napoleon,  than  to  deliver  him  to  his  execu- 
tioners, for  we  were  far  from  thinking  of  any 
mercy  in  case  of  failure? 

"  In  view  of  Madeira,  December  12, 1836. 

"  I  remained  ten  days  at  the  citadel  of  Port 
Louis.  Every  morning  I  received  a  visit  from 
the  sub-prefect  of  Lorient,  from  the  command- 
er of  the  place,  and  from  the  officer  of  the  gen- 
darmerie. They  were  all  very  kind  to  me, 
and  never  ceased  to  speak  to  me  of  their  at- 
tachment to  the  memory  of  the  Emperor.  The 
commander,  Cuynat,  and  Lieutenant  Thiboutot, 
were  unfailing  in  their  attentions  to  me.  I 
could  ever  believe  myself  in  the  midst  of  my 
friends,  and  the  thought  that  they  were  in  a 
position  hostile  to  me  gave  me  much  pain. 

"The  winds  remained  contrary  and  prevent- 
ed the  frigate  from  leaving  port.  At  last,  on 
the  21st,  a  steamer  towed  out  the  frigate.  The 
sub-prefect  came  to  tell  me  that  it  was  time  to 
depart.  The  draw-bridge  of  the  citadel  was 
lowered.  I  went  forth,  accompanied  by  the 
hospitable  officers  of  the  place,  in  addition  to 
those  who  brought  me  to  Lorient.  I  passed 
between  two  files  of  soldiers,  who  kept  off  the 
crowd  of  the  curious,  which  had  gathered  to 
see  me. 


350  HORTENSE.  [1836. 


Life  on  board  the  frigate. 


"  We  all  entered  the  boats  which  were  to 
convey  us  to  the  frigate,  which  was  waiting 
for  us  outside  of  the  harbor.  I  took  leave  of 
these  gentlemen  with  cordiality.  I  ascended 
to  the  deck,  and  saw  with  sadness  of  heart  the 
shores  of  France  disappear  behind  me. 

"  I  must  now  give  you  the  details  of  the 
frigate.  The  commander  has  assigned  me  a 
stateroom  in  the  stern  of  the  ship,  where  I 
sleep.  I  dine  with  him,  his  son,  the  second  of- 
ficer, and  the  aide-de-camp.  The  commander, 
captain  of  the  ship,  Henry  de  Villeneuve,  is  an 
excellent  man,  frank  and  loyal  as  an  old  sailor. 
He  pays  me  every  attention.  You  see  that  I 
have  much  less  to  complain  of  than  my  friends. 
The  other  officers  of  the  frigate  are  also  very 
kind  to  me. 

"  There  are  two  other  passengers  who  are 
two  types.  The  one,  an  M.  D.,  is  a  savant, 
twenty-six  years  of  age.  He  has  much  intelli- 
gence and  imagination,  mingled  with  original- 
ity, and  even  with  a  little  eccentricity.  For 
example,  he  believes  in  fortune- telling,  and 
undertakes  to  predict  to  each  one  of  us  his 
fate.  He  has  also  great  faith  in  magnetism, 
and  has  told  me  that  a  somnambulist  had  pre- 
dicted to  him,  two  years  ago,  that  a  member 


1836.]     LETTER  TO  HORTENSE.         351 


Uncertainty  of  the  destination. 


of  the  family  of  the  Emperor  would  return  to 
France  and  would  dethrone  Louis  Philippe, 
He  is  going  to  Brazil  to  make  some  experi- 
ments in  electricity.  The  other  passenger  is 
an  ancient  librarian  of  Don  Pedro,  who  has 
preserved  all  the  manners  of  the  ancient  court. 
Maltreated  at  Brazil,  in  consequence  of  his  at- 
tachment to  the  Emperor,  he  returns  there  to 
obtain  redress. 

"  The  first  fifteen  days  of  the  voyage  were 
very  disagreeable.  We  were  continually  toss- 
ed about  by  tempests  and  by  contrary  winds, 
which  drove  us  back  almost  to  the  entrance  of 
the  Channel.  It  was  impossible  during  that 
time  to  take  a  single  step  without  clinging  to 
whatever  could  be  seized  with  one's  hand. 

"  For  several  days  we  did  not  know  that  our 
destination  was  changed.  The  commander  had 
sealed  orders,  which  he  opened  and  which  di- 
rected him  to  go  to  Rio  Janeiro ;  to  remain 
there  as  long  as  should  be  necessary  to  re-pro- 
vision the  vessel ;  to  retain  me  on  board  dur« 
ing  the  whole  time  the  frigate  remained  in  tha 
harbor,  and  then  to  convey  me  to  New  York. 
Now  you  know  that  this  frigate  was  destined  to 
go  to  the  southern  seas,  where  it  will  remain 
stationed  for  two  years.  It  was  thus  compelled 


352  HORTENSE.  [1836. 


Reflections  of  the  captiva 


to  make  an  additional  voyage  of  three  thou- 
sand leagues;  for  from  New  York  it  will  be 
obliged  to  return  to  Rio,  making  a  long  circuit 
to  the  east  in  order  to  take  advantage  of  the 
trade- winds. 

"  In  view  of  the  Canaries,  December  14th. 
"  Every  man  carries  within  himself  a  world, 
composed  of  all  which  he  has  seen  and  loved, 
and  to  which  he  returns  incessantly,  even  when 
he  is  traversing  foreign  lands.  I  do  not  know, 
at  such  times,  which  is  the  most  painful,  the 
memory  of  the  misfortunes  which  you  have  en- 
countered, or  of  the  happy  days  which  are  no 
more.  We  have  passed  through  the  winter 
And  are  again  in  summer.  The  trade-winds 
have  succeeded  the  tempests,  so  that  I  can 
spend  most  of  my  time  on  deck.  Seated  upon 
the  poop,  I  reflect  upon  all  which  has  happen- 
ed to  me,  and  I  think  of  you  and  of  Arenern* 
berg.  Situations  depend  upon  the  affections 
which  one  cherishes.  Two  months  ago  I  asked 
only  that  I  might  never  return  to  Switzerland. 
Now,  if  I  should  yield  to  my  impressions,  I 
should  have  no  other  desire  than  to  find  my- 
self again  in  my  little  chamber  in  that  beauti- 
ful country,  where  it  seems  to  me  that  I  ought 
to  be  so  happy.  Alas  I  when  one  has  a  soul 


1836.J     LETTER  TO  HORTENSE.         353 


Reflections  of  the  captive. 


which  feels  deeply,  one  is  destined  to  pass  his 
days  in  the  languor  of  inaction  or  in  the  con- 
vulsions of  distressing  situations. 

"  When  I  returned,  a  few  months  ago,  from 
conducting  Matilde,*  in  entering  the  park  I 
found  a  tree  broken  by  the  storm,  and  I  said 
to  myself,  our  marriage  will  be  broken  by  fate. 
That  which  I  vaguely  imagined  has  been  real- 
ized. Have  I,  then,  exhausted  in  1836  all  the 
share  of  happiness  which  is  to  be  allotted  to 
me? 

"  Do  not  accuse  me  of  feebleness  if  I  allov 
myself  to  give  you  an  account  of  all  my  im- 
pressions. One  can  regret  that  which  he  has 
lost,  without  repenting  of  that  which  he  has 
done.  Besides,  our  sensations  are  not  so  inde- 
pendent of  interior  causes,  but  that  our  ideas 
should  be  somewhat  modified  by  the  objects 
which  surround  us.  The  rays  of  the  sun  or 
the  direction  of  the  wind  have  a  great  influence 
over  our  moral  state.  When  it  is  beautiful 
weather,  as  it  is  to-day,  the  sea  being  as  calm 
as  the  Lake  of  Constance  when  we  used  to 
walk  upon  its  banks  in  the  evening — when  the 
moon,  the  same  moon,  illumines  us  with  the 

*  The  Princess  Matilde,  his  cousin,  daughter  of  Jerome, 
with  whom  it  is  supposed  that  he  then  contemplated  marriage. 
3—23 


354  HORTENSE.  (1886. 


Crossing  the  equator. 


same  softened  brilliance  —  when  the  atmos- 
phere, in  fine,  is  as  mild  as  in  the  month  of 
August  in  Europe, — then  I  am  more  sad  than 
usual.  All  memories,  pleasant  or  painful,  fall 
with  the  same  weight  upon  my  heart.  Beauti- 
ful weather  dilates  the  heart  and  renders  it 
more  impressible,  while  bad  weather  contracts 
it  The  passions  alone  are  independent  of  the 
changes  of  the  seasons.  When  we  left  the  bar- 
racks of  Austerlitz,  a  flurry  of  snow  fell  upon 
us.  Colonel  Vaudrey,  to  whom  I  made  the  re- 
mark, said  to  me,  'Notwithstanding  this  squall, 
we  shall  have  a  fine  day.' 

"  December  29th. 

"  We  passed  the  line  yesterday.  The  cus- 
tomary ceremony  took  place.  The  command- 
er, who  is  always  very  polite  to  me,  exempted 
me  from  the  baptism.  It  is  an  ancient  usage, 
but  which,  nevertheless,  is  not  sensible,  to  fete 
the  passage  of  the  line  by  throwing  water  over 
one's  self  and  aping  a  divine  office.  It  was 
very  hot.  I  have  found  on  board  enough 
books  to  occupy  my  time.  I  have  read  again 
the  works  of  M.  de  Chateaubriand  and  of  J.  J 
Rousseau.  Still,  the  motion  of  the  ship  ren- 
ders all  occupation  fatiguing. 


1837.]     LETTER  TO  HORTENSJB.         35& 


letter  to  his  mother. 


"January  1,  1837,     ; 

"  MY  DEAR  MAMMA,  MA  CHERE  MAMAN,— ~ 
This  is  the  first  day  of  the  year.  I  am  fifteen 
hundred  leagues  from  you  in  another  hemis- 
phere. Happily,  thought  traverses  that  space- 
in  less  than  a  second.  I  am  near  you.  1  ex- 
press to  you  my  profound  regret  for  all  the 
sorrows  which  I  have  occasioned  you.  I  renew 
to  you  the  expression  of  my  tenderness  and  of 
my  gratitude. 

"  This  morning  the  officers  came  in  a  body 
to  wish  me  a  happy  new  year.  I  was  much 
gratified  by  this  attention  on  their  part.  At 
half-past  four  we  were  at  the  table.  As  we 
were  seventeen  degrees  of  longitude  west  of 
Constance,  it  was  at  that  same  time  seven 
o'clock  at  Arenemberg.  You  were  probably 
at  dinner.  I  drank,  in  thought,  to  your  health. 
You  perhaps  did  the  same  for  me.  At  least  I 
flattered  myself  in  believing  so  at  that  moment. 
I  thought,  also,  of  my  companions  in  misfor- 
tune. Alas!  I  think  continually  of  them.  I 
thought  that  they  were  more  unhappy  than 
I,  and  that  thought  renders  me  more  unhappy 
than  they. 

"Present  my  very  tender  regards  to  good 
Madame  Salvage,  to  the  young  ladies,  to  that 


856  HORTENSE.  [1837. 


Arrival  at  Rio  Janeiro. 


poor  little  Claire,  and  to  M.  Cottrau,  and  to 
Arsene. 

"  January  5th. 

44  We  have  had  a  squall,  which  struck  us 
"with  extreme  violence.  If  She  sails  had  not 
been  torn  to  pieces  by  the  wind  the  frigate 
would  have  been  in  great  danger.  One  of  the 
masts  was  broken.  The  rain  fell  so  impetu- 
ously that  the  sea  was  entirely  white.  To-day 
the  sky  is  as  serene  as  usual,  the  damages  are 
repaired,  and  the  tempestuous  weather  is  forgot- 
ten. But  it  is  not  so  with  the  storms  of  life. 
In  speaking  of  the  frigate,  the  commander  told 
me  that  the  frigate  which  bore  your  name  is 
now  in  the  South  Sea,  and  is  called  La  Flora. 

*'  January  10. 

"We  have  arrived  at  Rio  Janeiro.  The 
coup  <Fceil  of  the  harbor  is  superb.  To-mor- 
row I  shall  make  a  drawing  of  it.  I  hope  that 
this  letter  will  soon  reach  you.  Do  not  think 
of  coming  to  join  me.  I  do  not  yet  know 
where  I  shall  settle.  Perhaps  I  may  find  more 
inducements  to  live  in  South  America.  The 
labor  to  which  the  uncertainty  of  my  lot  will 
oblige  me  to  devote  myself,  in  order  to  create 
for  myself  a  position,  will  be  the  only  consola- 


1857.]     LETTER  TO  HORTENSE.         857 


Remembrance  of  Mends. 


tion  which  I  can  enjoy.  Adieu,  my  mother. 
Kemember  me  to  the  old  servants,  and  to  our 
friends  of  Thurgovia  and  of  Constance.  I  am 
very  well.  Your  affectionate  and  respectful 
son,  Louis  NAPOLEON  BONAPARTE." 


358  HORTENSE.  [1837. 

Cruel  slanders. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

THE  DEATH  OF  HORTENSE,  AND  THE 
ENTHRONEMENT  OF  HER  SON. 

AFTER  a  short  tarry  at  Rio  Janeiro,  dur- 
ing which  the  prince  was  not  permitted 
to  land,  the  frigate  again  set  sail,  and  on  the 
30th  of  March,  1837,  reached  Norfolk,  Virginia. 
The  prince  proceeded  immediately  to  New 
York.  By  a  cruel  error,  which  has  mistaken 
him  for  one  of  his  cousins,  Pierre  Bonaparte,  a 
very  wild  young  man,  the  reputation  of  Louis 
Napoleon  has  suffered  very  severely  in  this 
country.  The  evidence  is  conclusive  that  there 
has  been  a  mistake.  Louis  Napoleon,  thought- 
ful, studious,  pensive,  has  ever  been  at  the  far- 
thest possible  remove  from  vulgar  dissipation. 
A  writer  in  the  Home  Journal,  whose  relia- 
bility is  vouched  for  by  the  editor,  says,  in 
reference  to  his  brief  residence  in  New  York: 
"He  is  remembered  as  a  quiet,  melancholy 
man,  winning  esteem  rather  by  the  unaffected 
modesty  of  his  demeanor  than  by  eclSt  of  lin- 


1837.]      DEATH  OF  HORTENSE.          359 


Brief  stay  in  this  country. 


eage  or  the  romantic  incidents  which  had  befall- 
en him.  In  the  words  of  a  distinguished 
writer,  who  well  knew  him  at  that  day :  '  So 
unostentatious  was  his  deportment,  so  correct, 
so  pure  his  life,  that  even  the  ripple  of  scandal 
can  not  appear  plausibly  upon  its  surface.' 
We  have  inquired  of  those  who  entertained 
him  as  their  guest,  of  those  who  tended  at  his 
sick-bed,  of  the  artist  who  painted  his  minia- 
ture, of  his  lady  friends  (and  he  was  known  to 
some  who  yet  adorn  society),  of  politicians, 
clergymen,  editors,  gentlemen  of  leisure,  in  fact, 
of  every  source  whence  reliable  information 
could  be  obtained,  and  we  have  gathered  but 
accumulated  testimonials  to  his  intrinsic  worth 
and  fair  fame." 

Prince  Louis  Napoleon  remained  in  this 
country  but  seven  weeks.  The  testimony  of 
all  who  knew  him  is  uncontradicted,  that  he 
was  peculiarly  winning  in  his  attractions  as 
a  friend,  and  irreproachable  as  a  man.  Eev. 
Charles  S.  Stewart,  of  the  United  States  Navy, 
was  intimately  acquainted  with  him  during  the 
whole  period  of  his  residence  here.  He  writes : 

"  The  association  was  not  that  of  hours  only 
but  of  days,  and  on  one  occasion,  at  least,  of 
days  in  succession ;  and  was  characterized  by 


360  HORTENSE.  [1837. 

Elevated  personal  character. 

a  freedom  of  conversation  on  a  great  variety 
of  topics  that  could  scarce  fail,  under  the  in- 
genuousness and  frankness  of  his  manner,  to 
put  me  in  possession  of  his  views,  principles, 
and  feelings  upon  most  points  that  give  insight 
to  character. 

"I  never  heard  a  sentiment  from  him  and 
never  witnessed  a  feeling  that  could  detract 
from  his  honor  and  purity  as  a  man,  or  his  dig- 
nity as  a  prince.  On  the  contrary,  I  often  had 
occasion  to  admire  the  lofty  thought  and  ex- 
alted conceptions  which  seemed  most  to  occu- 
py his  mind.  He  was  winning  in  the  invaria- 
bleness  of  his  amiability,  often  playful  in  spirits 
and  manner,  and  warm  in  his  affections.  He 
was  a  most  fondly  attached  son  and  seemed  to 
idolize  his  mother.  When  speaking  of  her,  the 
intonations  of  his  voice  and  his  whole  manner 
were  often  as  gentle  and  feminine  as  those  of  a 
woman. 

"  In  both  eating  and  drinking  he  was,  as  far 
as  I  observed,  abstemious  rather  than  self-in- 
dulgent. I  repeatedly  breakfasted,  dined,  and 
supped  in  his  company ;  and  never  knew  him 
to  partake  of  any  thing  stronger  in  drink  than 
the  light  wines  of  France  and  Germany,  and  of 
these  in  great  moderation.  I  have  been  with 


1887.]      DEATH  OF  HORTENSE.          861 


Testimony  to  his  private  worth. 


him  early  and  late,  unexpectedly  as  well  as  by 
appointment,  and  never  saw  reason  for  the 
slightest  suspicion  of  any  irregularity  in  his 
habits." 

Such  is  the  testimony,  so  far  as  can  be  ascer- 
tained, of  every  one  who  enjoyed  any  personal 
acquaintance  with  Louis  Napoleon  while  in 
this  country.  He  was  the  guest  of  Washing- 
ton Irving,  Chancellor  Kent,  and  of  the  Hamil- 
tons,  Clintons,  Livingstons,  and  other  such  dis- 
tinguished families  in  New  York. 

While  busily  engaged  in  studying  the  insti- 
tutions of  our  country  and  making  arrange- 
ments for  quite  an  extensive  tour  through  the 
States,  he  received  a  letter  from  his  mother 
which  immediately  changed  all  his  plans.  The 
event  is  thus  described  by  Mr.  Stewart: 

"  With  this  expectation  he  consulted  me  and 
others  as  to  the  arrangement  of  the  route  of 
travel,  so  as  to  visit  the  different  sections  of"  the 
Union  at  the  most  desirable  seasons.  But  his 
plans  were  suddenly  changed  by  intelligence 
of  the  serious  illness  of  Queen" Ho rtense,  or,  as 
then  styled,  the  Duchess  of  St.  Leu.  I  was 
dining  with  him  the  day  the  letter  conveying 
this  information  was  received.  Recognizing 
the  writing  on  the  envelope,  as  it  was  handed 


362  HORTENSE.  [1837. 


to  him  at  the  table,  he  hastily  broke  the  seal 
and  had  scarce  glanced  over  half  a  page  before 
he  exclaimed: 

" '  My  mother  is  ill.  I  must  see  her.  In- 
stead of  a  tour  of  the  States,  I  shall  take  the 
next  packet  for  England.  I  will  apply  for 
passports  for  the  Continent  at  every  embassy 
in  London,  and  if  unsuccessful,  will  make  my 
way  to  her  without  them.'  " 

The  following  was  the  letter  which  he  re- 
ceived from  his  mother : 

"  My  DEAR  Sox, — I  am  about  to  submit  to  an 
operation  which  has  become  absolutely  necessa- 
ry. If  it  is  not  successful  I  send  you,  by  this  let- 
ter, my  benediction.  We  shall  meet  again,  shall 
we  not  ?  in  a  better  world,  where  may  you  come 
to  join  me  as  late  as  possible,  In  leaving  this 
world  I  have  but  one  regret ;  it  is  to  leave  you 
and  your  affectionate  tenderness — the  greatest 
charm  of  my  existence  here.  It  will  be  a  con- 
solation to  you,  my  dear  child,  to  reflect  that  by 
your  attentions  you  have  rendered  your  moth- 
er as  happy  as  it  was  possible  for  her,  in  her 
circumstances,  to  be.  Think  that  a  loving  and 
a  watchful  eye  still  rests  on  the  dear  ones  we 
leave  behind,  and  that  we  shall  surely  meet 


1837.J      DEATH  OF  HOBTENSE.          363 

Anxieties,  sorrows,  and  sickness  of  Hortense. 

again.  Cling  to  this  sweet  idea.  It  is  too 
necessary  not  to  be  true.  I  press  you  to  my 
heart,  my  dear  son.  I  am  very  cairn  and  re- 
signed, and  hope  that  we  shall  again  meet  in 
this  world.  Your  affectionate  mother, 

"  HORTENSE. 

"  Arenemberg,  April  3,  1837." 

As  we  have  mentioned,  Queen  Hortense, 
upon  receiving  news  of  the  arrest  of  her  son, 
hastened  to  France  to  do  what  she  could  to  save 
him.  Madame  Recamier  found  her  at  Viry,  in 
great  anguish  of  spirit.  When  she  received 
tidings  of  his  banishment  she  returned,  over- 
whelmed with  the  deepest  grief,  to  her  deso- 
lated home.  It  seems  that  even  then  an  inter- 
nal disease,  which,  with  a  mother's  love,  she 
had  not  revealed  to  her  son,  was  threatening 
her  life.  Madame  Recamier,  as  she  bade  her 
adieu,  was  much  moved  by  the  great  change 
in  her  appearance.  The  two  friends  never 
met  again. 

Madame  Salvage,  a  distinguished  lady,  who 
had  devoted  herself  with  life-long  enthusiasm 
to  the  Queen  of  Holland,  accompanied  her  to 
France  and  returned  with  her  to  Arenemberg. 
On  the  13th  of  April,  Madame  Salvage  wrote 


364  HORTENSE.  [1837. 

Letter  to  Madame  Ri-camier. 

the  following  letter  from  Arenemberg  to  Ma- 
dame Re'camier. 

"  I  wrote  you  a  long  letter  four  days  ago, 
dear  friend,  telling  you  of  my  unhappiness.  I 
received  yesterday  your  letter  of  the  7th,  for 
which  I  thank  you.  I  needed  it  much,  and  it 
is  a  consolation  to  me. 

"I  have  informed  Madame,  the  Duchess  of 
St.  Leu,  of  the  lively  interest  you  take  in  her 
troubles,  and  have  given  her  your  message. 
She  was  much  touched  by  it,  even  to  tears; 
and  has  begged  me  several  times  to  tell  you 
how  much  she  appreciated  it. 

"  I  have  not  replied  to  you  sooner,  because  I 
hoped  to  give  you  better  tidings.  Alas!  it  is 
quite  the  contrary.  After  a  consultation  of 
the  physicians  of  Constance  and  Zurich  with 
Dr.  Conneau,  her  own  physician,  Professor  Lis- 
franc,  from  Paris,  was  called  in,  on  account  of 
his  skill,  and  also  because  he  is  the  recognized 
authority  with  regard  to  the  operation  two  of 
these  gentlemen  thought,  necessary. 

"  After  a  careful  examination,  the  opinion 
of  M.  Lisfranc  and  that  of  the  three  other  con- 
sulting physicians  was,  that  the  operation  was 
impossible.  They  were  unanimous  in  pro- 
nouncing an  irrevocable  sentence,  and  they 


1837.]      DEATH  OF  HORTENSE.         365 

Hortense  receives  letters  from  her  son. 

have  left  us  no  hope  in  human  resources.  I 
still  like  to  trust  in  the  infinite  goodness  of 
God,  whom  I  implore  with  earnest  prayers. 

"  The  mind  of  madame  the  duchess  is  as 
calm  as  one  could  expect  in  a  position  like 
hers.  They  told  her  that  they  would  not  per- 
form the  operation  because  it  was  not  necessary, 
and  because  a  mere  treatment  would  suffice, 
with  time  and  patience,  to  produce  a  perfect 
cure.  She  had  been  quite  resigned  to  submit 
to  the  operation,  showing  a  noble  courage. 
Now  she  is  happy  in  not  being  obliged  to  un- 
dergo it,  and  is  filled  with  hope. 

"  In  anticipation  of  the  operation,  of  which, 
against  my  advice,  she  had  been  told  a  fortnight 
before  M.  Lisfranc  came,  she  made  her  will  and 
attended  to  the  last  duties  of  religion. 

"  On  the  30th  of  March,  an  hour  after  she 
had  partaken  of  the  communion,  she  had  the 
joy,  which  she  looked  upon  as  a  divine  favor, 
of  receiving  a  large  package  from  her  son,  the 
first  since  the  departure  from  Lorient.  His 
letter,  which  is  very  long,  contains  a  relation 
of  all  he  has  done,  all  that  has  happened  to 
him,  and  much  that  he  has  felt  since  he  left 
Arenemberg,  until  he  wrote,  the  10th  of  Jan- 
uary, on  board  the  frigate  Andromeda,  lying  in 


366  HORTENSE.  [1837. 

Louis  Napoleon  returns  to  Arenemberg. 

the  harbor  of  Rio  Janeiro,  where  he  was  not 
permitted  to  go  on  shore.  He  had  on  board 
M.  de  Chateaubriand's  works,  and  re-read  them 
during  a  frightful  storm  that  lasted  a  fortnight, 
and  allowed  of  no  other  occupation,  and  scarce- 
ly that.  Pray  tell  this  to  M.  de  Chateaubriand, 
in  recalling  me  personally  to  his  kind  remem- 
brance. 

"Think  of  me  sometimes.  Think  of  my 
painful  position.  To  give  to  a  person  whom 
we  love,  and  whom  we  are  soon  to  lose,  a  care 
that  is  perfectly  ineffectual;  to  seek  to  alleviate 
sharp  and  almost  continual  suffering,  and  only 
succeed  very  imperfectly ;  to  wear  a  calm 
countenance  when  the  heart  is  torn  ;  to  de- 
ceive, to  try  unceasingly  to  inspire  hopes  that 
we  no  longer  cherish, — ah,  believe  me,  this  is 
frightful,  and  one  would  cheerfully  give  up 
life  itself.  Adieu,  dear  friend,  you  know  how 
I  love  you." 

Louis  Napoleon,  hastening  to  the  bedside  of 
his  dying  mother,  took  ship  from  New  York 
for  London.  The  hostility  of  the  allied  powers 
to  him  was  such  that  it  was  with  great  difficulty 
he  could  reach  Arenemberg.  He  arrived  there 
just  in  time  to  receive  the  dying  blessing  of 
his  mother  and  to  close  her  eyes  in  death. 


1837.]      DEATH  OF  HORTENSE.          367 


Death  of  Hortense. 


Just  before  she  died,  Hortense  assembled  all  her 
household  in  the  dying  chamber.  She  took 
each  one  affectionately  by  the  hand  and  ad- 
dressed to  each  one  a  few  words  of  adieu. 
Her  son,  her  devoted  physician  Dr.  Conneau, 
and  the  ladies  of  her  household,  bathed  in  tears, 
were  kneeling  by  her  bedside.  Her  mind,  in 
delirious  dreams,  had  again  been  with  the  Em- 
peror, sympathizing  with  him  in  the  terrible 
tragedy  of  his  fall.  But  now,  as  death  drew 
near,  reason  was  fully  restored.  "  I  have 
never,"  said  she,  "done  wrong  to  any  one. 
God  will  have  mercy  upon  me."  Conscious  that 
the  final  moment  had  arrived,  she  made  an  ef- 
fort to  throw  her  arms  around  the  neck  of  her 
son  in  a  mother's  last  embrace,  when  she  fell 
back  upon  her  pillow  dead.  It  was  October  5r 
1837. 

The  prince,  with  his  own  hands,  closed  his 
mother's  eyes  in  that  sleep  which  knows  no 
earthly  waking.  He  remained  for  some  time 
upon  his  knees  at  her  bedside,  with  his  weeping 
eyes  buried  in  his  hands.  At  last  he  was  led 
away  from  the  precious  remains  from  which  it 
seemed  impossible  for  him  to  separate  himself. 
His  home  and  his  heart  were  indeed  desolata 
Motherless,  with  neither  brother  nor  sister,  hia 


868  HORTENSE.  [1837. 

Action  of  the  Government  of  Louis  Philippe. 

aged  and  infirm  father  dying  in  Italy,  where 
he  could  not  be  permitted  to  visit  him,  banished 
from  his  native  land,  jealously  watched  and 
menaced  by  all  the  allied  powers,  his  fair  name 
maligned,  all  these  considerations  seemed  to  fill 
his  cup  of  sorrow  to  the  brim. 

It  was  the  dying  wish  of  Hortense  that  she 
might  be  buried  by  the  side  of  Josephine,  her 
mother,  in  the  village  church  of  Ruel,  near  Mai- 
maison.  The  Government  of  Louis  Philippe, 
which  had  closed  the  gates  of  France  against 
Hortense  while  living,  allowed  her  lifeless  re- 
mains to  sleep  beneath  her  native  soil.  But 
the  son  was  not  permitted  to  follow  his  mother 
to  her  grave.  It  was  feared  that  his  appear, 
ance  in  France  would  rouse  the  enthusiasm  of 
the  masses ;  that  they  would  rally  around  him, 
and,  sweeping  away  the  throne  of  Louis  Phi- 
lippe in  a  whirlwind  of  indignation,  would  re- 
establish the  Empire.  Madame  Re'camier, 
speaking  of  the  death  of  Hortense,  says: 

"After  the  unfortunate  attempt  of  Prince 
Louis,  grief,  anxiety  and  perhaps  the  loss  of  a 
last  and  secret  hope,  put  an  end  to  the  turbu- 
lent existence  of  one  who  was  little  calculated 
to  lead  such  a  life  of  turmoil.  France,  closed 
to  her  living,  was  open  to  her  dead,  and  she 


1837.]      DEATH  OF  HORTENSE.          369 


Burial  of  Hortenae. 


was  carried  to  Ruel  and  laid  beside  her  mother. 
A  funeral  service  was  celebrated  in  her  honor 
at  the  village  church.  All  the  relics  of  the 
Empire  were  there;  among  them  the  widow 
of  Murat,*  who  there  witnessed  the  ceremony 
that  shortly  afterwards  was  to  be  performed 
over  herself. 

"  It  was  winter.  A  thick  snow  covered  the 
ground.  The  landscape  was  as  silent  and  cold 
as  the  dead  herself.  I  gave  sincere  tears  to 
this  woman  so  gracious  and  so  kind ;  and  I 
learned  shortly  afterwards  that  she  had  remem- 
bered me  in  her  will.  It  is  not  without  a  pro 
found  and  a  religious  emotion  that  we  receive 
these  remembrances  from  friends  who  are  no 
more ;  these  pledges  of  affection  which  come 
to  you,  so  to  say,  from  across  the  tomb,  as.  if  to 
assure  you  that  thoughts  of  you  had  followed 
them  as  far  as  there.  Judge,  then,  how  touched 
I  was  in  receiving  the  legacy  destined  for  me — 
that  light,  elegant,  and  mysterious  gift,  chosen 
to  recall  to  me  unceasingly  the  tie  that  had  ex- 
isted between  us.  It  was  a  lace  veil,  the  one 
she  wore  the  day  of  our  meeting  in  St.  Peter's." 

In  reference  to  the  mother  and  the  son,  Julie 
de  Marguerittes  writes :  "  Louis  Napoleon's 

*  Caroline  Bonaparte. 
3—24 


370  HORTENSE.  [1840. 

Louis  Napoleon's  love  for  his  mother. 

love  for  his  mother  had  in  it  a  tenderness  and 
devotion  even  beyond  that  of  a  son.  She  had 
been  his  instructor  and  companion ;  and  from 
the  hour  of  her  change  of  position  she  had 
manifested  great  and  noble  qualities,  which  the 
frivolity  and  prosperity  of  a  court  might  for- 
ever have  left  unrevealed.  Hortense  was  a 
woman  to  be  loved  and  revered.  And  even 
at  this  distance  of  years,  Napoleon's  love  for  his 
mother  has  suffered  no  change.  He  has  striv- 
en, in  all  ways,  to  associate  her  with  his  present 
high  fortune.  He  has  made  an  air  of  her  com- 
position, *  Partant  pour  la  Syrie,'  the  national 
air  of  France.  The  ship  which  bore  him  from 
Marseilles  to  Genoa,  on  his  Italian  expedition, 
is  called  La  Reine  Hortense,  after  his  mother." 

Scarcely  were  the  remains  of  Hortense  com- 
mitted to  the  tomb,  ere  the  Swiss  Government 
received  an  imperative  command  from  the  Gov- 
ernment of  Louis  Philippe  to  banish  Louis  Na- 
poleon from  the  soil  of  Switzerland.  To  save 
the  country  which  had  so  kindly  adopted  him 
from  war,  the  prince  retired  to  London.  He 
could  have  no  hopes  of  regaining  his  rights  aa 
a  French  citizen  until  the  Government  of 
Louis  Philippe  should  be  overthrown.  Anoth- 
er attempt  was  made  at  Boulogne  in  August 


1840.]      DEATH  OF  HORTENSE.         371 


Account  of  the  escape  from  Hum. 


1840.  It  proved  a  failure.  Louis  Napoleon 
was  again  arrested,  tried,  and  condemned  to 
imprisonment  for  life.  Six  years  he  passed  in 
dreary  captivity  in  the  Castle  of  Ham.  The 
following  brief  account  of  the  wonderful  escape 
of  the  prince  is  given  in  his  own  words,  con- 
tained in  a  letter  to  the  editor  of  the  Journal 
de  la  Somme. 

"  My  DEAR  M.  DE  GEORGE, — My  desire  to  see 
my  father  once  more  in  this  world  made  me  at- 
tempt the  boldest  enterprise  I  ever  engaged  in. 
It  required  more  resolution  and  courage  on  my 
part  than  at  Strasburg  or  Boulogne ;  for  I  was- 
determined  not  to  bear  the  ridicule  that  attach- 
es to  those  who  are  arrested  escaping  under  ; 
disguise,  and  a  failure  I  could  not  have   er 
dured.     The  following  are  the  particulars  of 
my  escape : 

"You  know  that  the  fort  was  guarded  by 
four  hundred  men,  who  furnished  daily  sixty 
soldiers,  placed  as  sentries  outside  the  walls. 
Moreover,  the  principal  gate  of  the  prison  was 
guarded  by  three  jailers,  two  of  whom  were 
constantly  on  duty.  It  was  necessary  that  I 
should  first  elude  their  vigilance,  afterwards 
traverse  the  inside  court  before  the  windows 
of  the  commandant's  residence,  and  arriving 


ST2  HOBTENSE.  [1846. 

The  escape  from  Ham. 

there,  I  should  be  obliged  to  pass  by  a  gate 
which  was  guarded  by  soldiers. 

"  Not  wishing  to  communicate  my  design  to 
Bny  one,  it  was  necessary  to  disguise  myself. 
As  several  of  the  rooms  in  the  building  I  oc- 
cupied were  undergoing  repairs,  it  was  not  diffi- 
cult to  assume  the  dress  of  a  workman.  My 
good  and  faithful  valet,  Charles  Thelin,  pro- 
cured a  smock-frock  and  a  pair  of  wooden 
shoes,  and  after  shaving  off  my  mustaches  I 
took  a  plank  upon  my  shoulders. 

"  On  Monday  morning  I  saw  the  workmen 
enter  at  half-past  eight  o'clock.  Charles  took 
them  some  drink,  in  order  that  I  should  not 
meet  any  of  them  on  my  passage.  He  was 
also  to  call  one  of  the  turnkeys  while  De  Con- 
neau  conversed  with  the  others.  Nevertheless 
I  had  scarcely  got  out  of  my  room  before  I 
was  accosted  by  a  workman  who  took  me  for 
one  of  his  comrades ;  and  at  the  bottom  of  the 
stairs  I  found  myself  in  front  of  the  keeper. 
Fortunately,  I  placed  the  plank  I  was  carrying 
before  my  face,  and  succeeded  in  reaching  the 
yard.  Whenever  I  passed  a  sentinel  or  any 
other  person  I  always  kept  the  plank  before 
my  face. 

"  Passing  before  the  first  sentinel,  I  let  my 


1846.]      DEATH  OF  HORTENSE.         373 


The  escape  from  Ham. 


pipe  fall  and  stopped  to  pick  up  the  bits. 
There  I  met  the  officer  on  duty  ;  but  as  he 
was  reading  a  letter  he  did  not  pay  attention 
to  me.  The  soldiers  at  the  guard-house  ap- 
peared surprised  at  my  dress,  and  a  drummer 
turned  around  several  times  to  look  at  me.  I 
placed  the  plank  before  my  face,  but  they  ap- 
peared to  be  so  curious  that  I  thought  I  should 
never  escape  them  until  I  heard  them  cry,  '  Oh, 
it  is  Bernard  1' 

"  Once  outside,  I  walked  quickly  towards  the 
road  of  St.  Quentin.  Charles,  who  the  day  be- 
fore had  engaged  a  carriage,  shortly  overtook 
me,  and  we  arrived  at  St.  Quentin.  I  passed 
through  the  town  on  foot,  after  having  thrown 
off  my  smock-frock.  Charles  procured  a  post- 
chaise,  under  pretext  of  going  to  Cambrai. 
We  arrived  without  meeting  with  any  hin- 
drance at  Valenciennes,  where  I  took  the  rail- 
way. I  had  procured  a  Belgian  passport,  but 
nowhere  was  I  asked  to  show  it. 

"  During  my  escape,  Dr.  Conneau,  always  so 
devoted  to  me,  remained  in  prison,  and  caused 
them  to  believe  that  I  was  ill,  in  order  to  give 
me  time  to  reach  the  frontier.  It  was  neces- 
sary to  be  convinced  that  the  Government 
would  never  set  me  at  liberty  if  I  would  not 


374  HORTENSE.  [1846. 

Louis  Napoleon  in  London. 

consent  to  dishonor  myself,  before  I  could  be 
persuaded  to  quit  France.  It  was  also  a  mat- 
ter of  duty  that  I  should  exert  all  my  powers 
to  be  able  to  console  my  father  in  his  old  age. 

"  Adieu,  my  dear  M.  de  George.  Although 
free,  I  feel  myself  to  be  most  unhappy.  Re- 
ceive the  assurance  of  my  sincere  friendship  ; 
and  if  you  are  able,  endeavor  to  be  useful  to 
my  kind  Conneau." 

It  was  the  latter  part  of  May,  1846,  that  Louis 
Napoleon  escaped  from  Ham.  He  repaired 
immediately  to  London.  In  accordance  with 
his  habits  and  his  tastes,  he  continued  to  de- 
vote himself  earnestly  to  his  studies,  still  cher- 
ishing the  unfaltering  opinion  that  he  was  yet 
to  be  the  Emperor  of  France.  In  London  he 
was  cordially  welcomed  by  his  old  friends, 
Count  d'Orsay  and  Lady  Blessington.  His 
cousin  Maria  of  Baden,  then  Lady  Douglass, 
subsequently  the  Duchess  of  Hamilton,  was 
proud  to  receive  him  in  her  sumptuous  abode, 
and  to  present  him  to  her  aristocratic  friends. 
To  her,  it  is  said  that  he  confided  his  projects 
and  hopes  more  frankly  than  to  any  one  else. 
In  one  of  his  notes  he  wrote, 

"My  DEAR  COUSIN, — I  do  not  belong  to 


1848.]     DEATH  OF  HORTENSE.          375 


Overthrow  of  LouU  Philippe. 


myself,  I  belong  to  my  name  and  my  country. 
It  is  because  my  fortune  has  twice  betrayed 
me,  that  my  destiny  is  nearer  its  accomplish- 
ment. I  bide  my  time." 

In  the  latter  part  of  February,  1848,  the 
throne  of  Philippe  was  overturned,  and  he  fled 
from  France.  Louis  Napoleon  immediately 
returned  to  Paris  after  so  many  weary  years 
of  exile.  This  is  not  the  place  to  describe  the 
scenes  which  ensued.  It  is  sufficient  simply 
to  state  that,  almost  by  acclamation,  he  was  sent 
by  the  people  of  Paris  to  the  Assembly,  was 
there  elected  president  of  the  Republic,  and 
then,  by  nearly  eight  million  of  votes,  the  Em- 
pire was  re-established  and  Louis  Napoleon 
was  placed  upon  the  imperial  throne. 

As  soon  as  Louis  Napoleon  was  chosen 
president  of  the  French  Republic,  Walter  Sav- 
age Landor,  a  brilliant  scholar,  a  profound, 
original  thinker,  and  a  highly  independent 
and  honorable  man,  wrote  as  follows  to  Lady 
Blessington,  under  date  of  January  9th,  1849: 

"  Possibly  you  may  have  never  seen  the  two 
articles  which  I  enclose.  I  inserted  another 
in  the  'Examiner,'  deprecating  the  anxieties 
which  a  truly  patriotic  and,  in  my  opinion,  a 
•ingularly  wise  man,  was  about  to  encounter, 


376  HORTENSE.  [1849. 

Walter  Savage  Landor. 

in  accepting  the  presidency  of  France.  Ne- 
cessity will  compel  him  to  assume  the  imperial 
power,  to  which  the  voice  of  the  army  and  of 
the  people  will  call  him.  You  know,  who 
know  not  merely  my  writings  but  my  heart, 
how  little  I  care  for  station.  I  may  therefore 
tell  you  safely,  that  I  feel  a  great  interest,  a 
great  anxiety  for  the  welfare  of  Louis  Napo- 
leon. I  told  him  that  if  he  were  ever  again  in 
prison,  I  would  visit  him  there,  but  never  if  he 
were  upon  a  throne  would  I  come  near  him. 
He  is  the  only  man  living  who  would  adorn 
one.  But  thrones  are  my  aversion  and  ab- 
horrence. France,  I  fear,  can  exist  in  no  oth- 
er condition.  May  God  protect  the  virtuous 
Louis  Napoleon,  and  prolong  in  happiness  the 
days  of  my  dear  kind  friend  Lady  Blessington. 

"  WALTER  SAVAGE  LANDOR 
"P.S. — I  wrote  a  short  letter  to  the  Presi- 
dent, and  not  of  congratulation.     May  he  find 
many  friends  as  disinterested  and  sincere." 

Even  the  blunt  Duke  of  Wellington  wrote 
as  follows  to  the  Count  d'Orsay  under  date  of 
April  9,  1849:  "I  rejoice  at  the  prosperity  of 
France  and  of  the  success  of  the  president  of 
the  Republic.  Every  thing  tends  towards  the 


1849.]      DEATH  OF  HORTENSE.          377 


Empress  Eugenie. 


permanent  tranquillity  of  Europe,"  which  is 
necessary  for  the  happiness  of  all. 

If  Hortense  from  the  spirit-land  can  look 
down  upon  her  son,  her  heart  must  be  cheered 
in  view  of  the  honors  which  his  native  land, 
with  such  unprecedented  unanimity,  has  con- 
ferred upon  him.  And  still  more  must  her 
heart  be  cheered  in  view  of  the  many,  many 
years  of  peace,  prosperity,  and  happiness  which 
France  has  enjoyed  under  his  reign.  Every 
well-informed  man  will  admit  that  the  king- 
dom of  France  has  never,  since  its  foundations 
were  laid,  enjoyed  so  many  years  of  tranquilli- 
ty, and  of  mental  and  material  advancement  at 
home,  and  also  of  respect  and  influence  abroad, 
as  during  the  reign  of  the  son  of  Hortense. 

The  Emperor  is  eminently  happy  in  his  do- 
mestic relations.  There  are  none  who  know 
the  Empress  Eugenie  who  do  not  revere  and 
love  her.  She  is  the  worthy  successor  of  Jo- 
aephine,  upon  the  throne  of  the  reinstated  em- 
pire. The  following  beautiful  tribute  to  her 
virtues  comes  from  the  lips  of  our  former  dis- 
tinguished ambassador  at  the  court  of  France, 
Hon.  John  A.  Dix.  They  were  uttered  in  a 
speech  which  he  addressed  to  the  American 
residents  in  Paris,  upon  the  occasion  of  his 


878  HORTENSE.  [1869. 


surrendering  the  ambassadorial  chair  to  his 
successor,  Hon.  Mr.  Washburne.  It  was  in 
June,  1869. 

"  Of  her  who  is  the  sharer  of  the  Emperor's 
honors  and  the  companion  of  his  toils  —  who 
in  the  hospital,  at  the  altar,  or  on  the  throne  is 
alike  exemplary  in  the  discharge  of  her  varied 
duties,  whether  incident  to  her  position,  or 
voluntarily  taken  upon  herself,  it  is  difficult 
for  me  to  speak  without  rising  above  the  level 
of  the  common  language  of  eulogism. 

"  But  I  am  standing  here  to-day,  as  a  citizen 
of  the  United  States,  without  official  relations 
to  my  own  Government,  or  any  other.  I  have 
taken  my  leave  of  the  imperial  family,  and  I 
know  no  reason  why  I  may  not  freely  speak 
what  I  honestly  think  ;  especially  as  I  know  I 
can  say  nothing  which  will  not  find  a  cordial 
response  in  your  own  breasts. 

"  As  in  the  history  of  the  ruder  sex,  great 
luminaries  have  from  time  to  time  risen  high 
above  the  horizon,  to  break,  and  at  the  same 
time  to  illustrate,  the  monotony  of  the  general 
movement,  —  so  in  the  annals  of  hers,  brilliant 
lights  have  at  intervals  shone  forth,  and  shed 
their  lustre  upon  the  stately  march  of  regal 
pomp  and  power. 


1869.]      DEATH   OF  HORTENSE.         379 


Testimony  of  General  Dix. 


"  When  I  have  seen  her  taking  part  in  the 
most  imposing  of  all  imperial  pageants  —  the 
open-ing  of  the  Legislative  Chambers — stand- 
ing amid  the  assembled  magistracy  of  Paris, 
surrounded  by  the  representatives  of  the  tal- 
ent, the  genius,  and  the  piety  of  this  great  em- 
pire ;  or  amidst  the  resplendent  scenes  of  the 
palace,  moving  about  with  a  gracefulness  all 
her  own,  and  with  a  simplicity  of  manner 
which  has  a  double  charm  when  allied  to  ex- 
alted rank  and  station,  I  confess  that  I  have 
more  than  once  whispered  to  myself,  and  I  be- 
lieve not  always  inaudibly,  the  beautiful  verse 
of  the  graceful  and  courtly  Claudian,  the  last 
of  the  Roman  poets, 

"  'Divino  semitu,  gressu  claruit;' 
or,  rendered  in   our  own  plain   English,  and 
stripped  of  its  poetic  hyperbole, '  The  very  path 
she  treads  is  radiant  with  her  unrivalled  step.1 " 


THE     END. 


A    000056520     0 


